Mo and the Treasure of Turtle Lake
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Elizabeth and Jim are going out on a second honeymoon, and Junior feels lonesome without his parents around. Mo, Gloriosa, and Timber then keep him company, and Cherry, Atticus, and Patch even come over as they read another Franklin story and get sent to an adventure involving the Turtle family that is darker than even expected.
1. Chapter 1

It was a late summer morning and Mo sat with her family to breakfast.

"Great breakfast." Mo smiled to her parents.

"We're glad you like it so much." Jim smiled back, though looked excited about something.

"Dad, you seem excited." Mo smiled.

"Ooh, I couldn't hold it in." Jim chuckled.

"We might as well tell them." Elizabeth told her husband after pouring more coffee for them both.

"Tell us what?" Timber, Gloriosa, Mo, and Junior asked.

"Well... This is a surprise mostly for us, but... We finally got reservations to spend a second honeymoon together." Elizabeth soon said with a smile.

"Awesome." Mo smiled back.

"When are we going?" Junior asked.

"Well, sweetie, honeymoons are actually for mommies and daddies... It's not that we don't love you, but we just need some time alone together." Jim told his son.

"Oh..." Junior frowned.

"How long will you be gone?" Timber asked the adults.

"We're not sure, but maybe a few days..." Jim said. "Mind watching Junior?"

"Of course not!" Mo beamed. "I love babysitting JJ!"

"We'll be happy to babysit too." Timber and Gloriosa smiled.

"It's not fair we can't go though..." Junior pouted.

"Tell you what, when Daddy and I come home, we can have a special family fun day." Elizabeth smiled.

"Yay!" Junior cheered.

"Well, congratulations," Gloriosa smiled to Elizabeth and Jim. "We hope you guys have fun."

"We hope so too," Jim smiled back. "Thank you."

"So, when do you two leave?" Timber asked.

"We were planning on later in the afternoon so you guys can have lunch and start to have your own fun." Jim replied.

"You could read your new book..." Elizabeth suggested to Junior.

"I guess so." Junior pouted to his parents.

"It could be lots of fun." Mo said.

* * *

Later on, Elizabeth and Jim started to get their things together so they could leave. Cherry, Atticus, and Patch came over because Mo texted them over, and Patch was just happy to see Colette again. Once they got to the Brown's house, the front door opened.

"Oh, good, you guys came." Mo smiled.

"Nothing much is going on at home anyway," Cherry said. "I mean, school starts back soon."

"True that." Mo nodded.

"How's Junior feel about going back to school?" Atticus asked.

"Well, you know, he's young, so he's pretty excited," Mo smiled. "And just think, we'll be graduating from school ourselves soon!"

"It's going to be awesome!" Atticus smiled.

"My parents promised a great big graduation party at my place if you guys wanna come over afterwards." Cherry offered.

"You know it." The group smiled.

Elizabeth and Jim were getting ready to leave.

"I'm so excited about this babysitting gig." Mo said.

"Yeah?" Cherry replied.

"Yep," Mo smirked. "Si and Am have to go to the vet, and Aunt Sarah has to take them, so that means she can't come over to babysit."

"That's great news." Atticus added.

"Mm-hmm~..." Mo smirked before looking innocent as her parents came back.

"Now, Monique, remember, the emergency numbers are where you can find them on the fridge, there's a roast in the oven, and remember, no wild parties." Elizabeth said.

"Oh, come on, Mom, when have I ever had a wild party?" Mo smiled.

"I know, just a reminder." Elizabeth smiled back.

"You two have fun." Mo said as she hugged her.

"Come along, Darling, we don't want to be late." Jim told his wife.

Jim and Elizabeth soon left. Everyone told them goodbye and allowed them to get going.

"This'll be great without Aunt Sarah." Cherry smirked.

"You said it." Mo smirked back.

They soon went inside.

* * *

Junior sighed as he stared out the window as his parents left.

"Aw, it's okay, JJ, they'll be back..." Mo soothed. "Why don't we play?"

Junior looked to her before looking at his books. "I wish Franklin and his friends were real so I could play with them."

"How about we read one of your Franklin books?" Mo suggested.

"Okaaay..." Junior replied.

"Cherry, go get one." Mo said.

"Sure... Leave me with the job..." Cherry muttered before going to the shelf and saw the many kids books that Junior had. "Let's see... Babar the King of the Elephants... Kipper the Dog... Maisie the Mouse... Blue's Clues... Ah, here we go, Franklin the Turtle." She soon brought over one of the Franklin the Turtle books.

"It's okay, kiddo..." Timber smiled down to Junior.

"I guess so..." Junior said before sitting close to Mo since they were close.

"And here's your favorite book." Cherry replied.

"Thanks, Cherry." Junior said to her.

Patch smiled as he sat on the floor with the other dogs his age while Lady and Tramp were in the backyard as Jock and Trusty came over, and they would see them later. Mo soon got ready to read the book. Junior smiled up to her as they got comfortable.

"Might as well get comfy." Cherry said as she soon came to sit with them to hear the story.

But of course, something was going to happen to make them apart of the story. They find out soon and what later on though. Cherry seemed to stare off into space as she seemed to fall asleep during the story.

* * *

Eventually, Cherry, Atticus, Mo, Junior, Gloriosa, and Timber seemed to be sent into a forest in their own animal forms, but they still had their clothes.

"What the-?" Timber asked out of confusion.

"It happened again..." Junior whispered to himself. "Only Rosie isn't here."

"What did you do, kid?" Cherry demanded.

"I-I didn't do anything." Junior defended.

"I think the book sent us in here." Mo said.

Cherry simply just face-palmed.

"You okay?" Mo asked.

"Let's just get this over with..." Cherry groaned.

They soon walked along the forest before finding a tree that had an X on it.

"This is new." Junior said.

Cherry came up to the tree since it had an X on it and she soon settled down, the sight just made her think of Ferngully.

"Land ho, First Mate Snail, are ye ready to search for treasure, me bucko?" A voice asked.

"Aye-Aye, Captain Franklin!" Another voice replied.

"Franklin? Snail?" Junior smiled as he knew those voices anywhere.

"This be the spot, Captain," A female voice said, pointing to the tree before seeing the others. "There, beneath this-Huh?"

"Wow, that's a big beaver." Timber's eyes widened.

"Beaver!" Junior smiled.

"Oh... Hi, there, Junior." Beaver smiled back.

"Ow, my head." Cherry groaned.

"Ooh, why are you dressed like a pirate?" Junior asked.

"Because we're playing of course." Beaver said to him.

"Ohh, that explains the X-marked tree." Junior smiled.

"Uh, yes..." Beaver replied as Franklin soon came with Snail.

"Hi, Junior." Franklin and Snail smiled.

"That must be Turtle." Cherry smirked to Franklin.

"Ha ha, very funny." Attiucs rolled his eyes.

"I thought so." Cherry smirked.

"Argh, ye best come to collect the treasure with us." Franklin suggested in a pirate voice.

"Aye-Aye!" Junior happily saluted as he played with them.

"Aye-Aye!" Atticus added.

"Oh, man, do I have to do this?" Cherry groaned.

"Yes!" Everyone else told her.

"Just no singing." Cherry begged.

"Don't worry; I doubt there will be any singing." Timber assured her.

"Fine... No singing..." Atticus sighed. "Spoilsport."

They soon went off together to play along with Franklin, Beaver, and Snail's pirate game.

"Avast, ye swabs!" Bear called out as he jumped out of the tree.

 _'This is going to be fun.'_ Mo thought to herself.

"Ooh, look out!" Atticus called out to entertain Junior since he was a little kid.

"Ye'll have to get past me first!" Bear smirked.

"I'll handle this one." Franklin said, taking out his own sword and began to sword-fight with his best friend for the game.

 _'This is fun so far.'_ Gloriosa thought to herself.

Bear soon hit Franklin's sword and it flew into the tree.

"Ooh!" Junior frowned.

"Bear..." Franklin frowned as that was unfair.

Junior soon jumped to grab Franklin's sword as it was falling.

"Oops, sorry." Bear told his best friend.

"Oh, thank you, Junior." Franklin smiled.

Beaver then smirked as she came to sneak up behind Bear with her own sword. Junior soon tossed the sword back to Franklin. Franklin smiled as he caught it. There was then a snapping sound heard and Bear turned to see Beaver as she had stepped on a twig, she then tried to stab him, but since he saw her, he kept dodging her attacks.

"Next time, watch your stepping." Mo told Beaver.

"Hmph." Beaver pouted.

"I'm getting seasick..." Snail groaned from the back and forth since he was in Beaver's hat, dressed like a parrot.

Patch soon came over to help Snail no longer feeling seasick. Beaver's sword soon went flying next.

"Argh, time to walk the plank!" Bear smirked to Beaver in victory.

"Not if _he_ can help it." Snail smirked, pointing to Franklin.

"That's right!" Junior added.

"Ya!" Franklin soon 'stabbed' Bear.

"Ooh! Aaugh! Shiver... Me... Timbers!" Bear cried out and he soon fell down, playing dead.

"Yay!" Junior cheered for Franklin.

"Quick, me hearties, the treasure!" Franklin announced.

"You got it." Gloriosa smiled to the young turtle.

They soon came to the treasure behind the tree which was a picnic basket, but it only had two cookies inside of it.

"Two cookies?" Cherry asked, unimpressed. "That's all?"

"Not cookies, gold doubloons!" Bear smiled. "There were more, but... I got hungry waiting. Are you gonna eat those, guys?"

"Help yourself out," Beaver said, handing him the basket and putting Snail off of her hat. "Anyway, I gotta go. Summer's almost over, so Mom and I are shopping for some new school stuff after lunch."

"That's nice." Mo said.

"Lunch?!" Bear asked with his mouth full. "I better go too. Uh, see you tomorrow at the usual time!"

"And remember, Franklin, it'll be _my_ turn to be Captain!" Beaver added. "Wait up, Bear!"

"Lunch does sound nice." Gloriosa said.

"Wanna have lunch at my place, guys?" Franklin invited as he put his sword away.

"You bet." Snail smiled.

"You know it." Patch added.

"Yes, please." Junior begged.

"Come with me," Franklin smiled as they left the forest. "So, who are these people, Junior?" he then asked.

"Well, you remember Mo from last time," Junior said. "But this is our cousin, Cherry, Mo's boyfriend, Atticus, and my big brother and sister, Gloriosa Daisy and Timber Spruce."

Patch soon cleared his throat.

"Oh, yeah, and this is Patch too." Junior then added sheepishly.

"Nice to meet you all," Franklin smiled. "I'm Franklin and this is Snail."

"So we see," Atticus smiled back. "Good to meet you, Franklin and Snail."

"Yeah, it's so nice to meet you both." Gloriosa added.

"Welcome to Woodland." Franklin smiled as he walked them back to his house and passed by an ominous house with a gate which made Junior stare at it as he felt like he hadn't seen it before.

* * *

"That was fun," Snail smiled about the game. "Especially the part where we saved Beaver."

"Yeah." Junior smiled back.

"Imagine what it'd be like to be a real hero." Franklin smiled.

"And having real adventures!" Snail beamed. "I bet heroes get to stay up late, and do whatever they want!"

"You'd think that, but even heroes need their sleep." Mo said.

"Franklin, who lives here?" Junior asked. "I don't think I saw this the last time I was here."

"It's my Aunt Lucy's place... Is that door open?" Franklin said as he looked inside the gate, feeling spooked out a little.

"That's a little creepy." Atticus said.

"Your aunt lives in this spooky old house?" Cherry smirked.

"Not for a while," Franklin explained. "The last time she was here, I was just a baby."

"We're not going inside, are we?" Snail asked nervously.

"Sure, maybe she's back." Franklin told him.

"Yeah, maybe." Junior said.

"What if she's not?" Snail gulped.

"Oh, come on, you scaredy... Mollusk..." Cherry told him as they came towards the house. "I thought you wanted to be adventurers."

* * *

They soon came into the house and saw boxes of strange artifacts.

"Hello? Aunt Lucy?" Franklin called, but there was no reply. "Aunt Lucy, it's me, Franklin!"

"Hello?" Junior added.

"Man, look at this stuff." Gloriosa said out of amazement.

"It's even spookier inside!" Snail frowned. "Does all this stuff belong to her?"

"Yep, she's an archaeologist." Franklin replied.

"Wow." Junior smiled.

"Do you even know what that word means?" Cherry glanced at Junior since he was just a little kid.

"She digs up things?" Junior asked.

"There's a little more to it than that, but pretty much, yes," Mo smiled to her little brother. "She travels and explores to find unique and amazing things. Sabrina's mom is an archaeologist too, she used to live in Peru."

Something was heard in the back which made everyone look around to find out that they were not alone in the house.

"Hello? Who's there?" Mo asked.

No one seemed to answer for a while. Franklin and Snail felt very scared as they looked around until someone jumped out in a mask and roared at them which made them scream and soon run away. Patch began to bark at the figure.

The figure soon removed the mask to show a turtle girl around Franklin's age with a necklace and a pink bandanna who was smirking. "Did I really get you?"

"Who are you?" Cherry asked.

"My name's Sam," The turtle girl replied. "Just got here with Lucy."

"Um, you call your mother by her first name?" Gloriosa asked.

"Lucy isn't my mother," Sam replied. "She's good friends with my parents."

"Ohh." Mo smiled.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sam asked. "Lucy didn't say anything about guys like you."

"I'm friends with Franklin," Junior said. "We met before Spring when his little sister was born, and this is my family."

"Hey." Timber greeted.

"I see..." Sam replied.

"By the way, you didn't scare us," Cherry told her. "Nothing scares me."

"What about Drell and Sombra?" Mo asked.

Cherry narrowed her eyes while the others smirked. "Shut it."

"Anyway, you _did_ scare us, and it _wasn't_ funny." Mo said firmly.

"Well, _I_ thought it was." Sam chuckled.

"Hmph." Junior angrily pouted and soon stormed off.

The others soon left the room.

"See ya later." Sam smirked.

"Yeah, whatever, kid." Cherry grumbled.


	2. Chapter 2

At Franklin's home, Mr. Turtle was at the garden with Harriet while Mrs. Turtle collected some mail.

"Hey, Mrs. Turtle." Mo greeted.

"Oh, hello there, dear," Mrs. Turtle smiled. "It's so nice to see you again."

"I'll say," Mo smiled back. "Ooh, it's mail time."

"Mail time, Cherry." Atticus smirked.

Cherry fluttered her lips and rolled her eyes.

"I bet you can guess who this is from?" Mrs. Turtle smiled to her husband as she held out a certain letter.

"No one else quite decorates their envelopes like this." Mr. Turtle smiled back as he saw the pyramids of Egypt with a hieroglyphic included.

"From Franklin's aunt, Lucy?" Mo asked.

"Why... Yes..." Mrs. Turtle said, a bit surprised that she knew that.

"Aunt Lucy!" Harriet beamed.

"Yes, Daddy's little sister." Mrs. Turtle said to her.

"She little like me...?" Harriet tilted her head.

"No, Aunt Lucy's all grown up, she's just younger than Daddy." Mrs. Turtle explained as she looked at the letter with her husband.

"She's right, when an adult calls their younger sibling 'little brother or little sister', they mean that they're older than the other." Mo explained.

"Ooh..." Harriet said as she felt amazed.

"So, what does it say, Mr. Turtle?" Gloriosa asked.

"It says... She's coming for a visit!" Mr. Turtle smiled. "But... It doesn't say when, and there's no return address either, and no stamp, but I guess she's here now if you guys know about her."

"Actually we know her because Franklin told us about her." Junior told him.

"Speaking of which, where _is_ Franklin?" Cherry asked. "Are turtles really that slow?"

Franklin soon rushed with Snail as if on cue and was freaked out. He tried to open the fence, but it was stuck, so he jumped over it instead and ran to his parents.

"Right on cue." Timber said.

"Mom! Dad!" Franklin gasped and panted.

"Franklin okay?" Harriet frowned to her big brother.

"You look like you saw a ghost." Mrs. Turtle added.

"Not a ghost, a monster!" Snail shivered while sticking on Franklin's shell.

"Franklin, Snail, it wasn't a monster; it was just someone named Sam." Junior told them.

"Speaking of which..." Mr. Turtle hid a small smirk and walked off to the front of their home. "Follow me, everyone!"

* * *

The others looked curious and followed them to find a female turtle in a vest with a fedora as she smirked while leaning against the mailbox.

"I thought we might find you here." Mr. Turtle smirked to his sister.

"Took you long enough to figure it out, Big Brother." Lucy smirked back.

"Aunt Lucy!" Franklin beamed.

"Argh, if it isn't Captain Franklin?" Lucy smiled to her nephew before looking to see the little turtle girl hiding behind her parents shyly. "And you must be little Harriet."

Harriet soon giggled and ran up to her aunt, jumping into her arms for a hug.

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Mo smiled.

"Hello there," Lucy smiled back as she carried Harriet. "Friends?"

"More or less, yeah." Cherry shrugged.

"And we kinda had a run in with a turtle named Sam and she was kinda mean when she scared us." Junior told Lucy.

"Sam, huh?" Lucy replied. "Sounds like you just met my goddaughter."

"Your goddaughter's a monster?" Snail asked.

"She's not a monster, she was just scaring us because she thought it was funny." Mo told him.

"When can we meet her?" Mrs. Turtle asked.

"Tonight," Lucy smiled. "I dropped by Mom's on the way over, and she insisted on having a welcome party for me, you interested?" she then asked her niece and nephew with a small smirk.

Junior already knew what Harriet and Franklin's answer would be. The siblings cheered in excitement as that sounded like a great idea.

"I think that means yes." Mr. Turtle chuckled.

"Oh, good," Lucy smiled before checking her watch. "Well, I better be off. I still need to unpack, see you tonight! 7:00 sharp!"

"We'll see you tonight, ma'am." Gloriosa said.

"See you then." Lucy smiled as she walked off and whistled.

"Well, she hasn't changed." Mrs. Turtle smirked.

"Nope, still full of surprises." Mr. Turtle smiled.

"I think she's neat." Franklin smiled about his aunt.

"Same here." Junior added.

"Well, I guess I better get home now." Snail suggested since this was a family dinner.

"Do you need help getting there?" Mo asked.

"Well, Franklin usually takes me home, but if you don't mind coming along..." Snail smiled.

"I don't," Mo smiled back. "We'll get you there in no time."

"That's right." Cherry nodded.

Snail smiled to them as they were quite friendly. Franklin soon went inside with his family to put on his usual clothes to get ready to visit his Granny later tonight.

"So, Snail, how long have you known Franklin and the others?" Mo asked.

"Aw, gee, quite a long time," Snail replied. "I first met Franklin a couple of summers ago when my family moved into Woodland."

"Aw." Mo smiled.

"I don't think anyone's known Franklin as long as Bear and Otter though." Snail then said with a smile back.

"Maybe you could ask him sometime." Mo shrugged.

* * *

They soon came to a very small house deep in the forest, but not in the spooky part where the kids weren't allowed into.

"This is it, right here." Snail told the others.

Mo then knelt down by the tiny house and put her hands out so Snail could slither out and get home.

"You have a nice home." Atticus smiled.

"Oh, thank you," Snail smiled back. "I'd invite you guys in, but... It's a bit too small."

"We understand." Patch said.

"Say hi to Franklin's family for me." Snail smiled.

"Will do." Timber smiled back.

Snail then slithered inside of his home and the others then went to go back to Franklin's house as they were getting ready for tonight.

* * *

Once they got inside, they were ready.

"I hope there's probably Shoo Fly Pie." Franklin smiled.

"Flies...?" Cherry asked, uneasily.

"Uh-huh!" Franklin smiled. "It's great!"

"Um, okay." Cherry replied.

* * *

Eventually, it was time, and they took a walk, but not too far as they went to a house where an elderly turtle lived alone.

"Hello, hello." Granny smiled before the door was opened once she saw her family.

"Hello, ma'am." Mo smiled back.

"I saw you coming." Granny smiled to her, remembering her from before as well.

"Our extended family's here, I hope that's okay." Mo told the elderly turtle.

"It's fine." Granny reassured.

Mo smiled as she had a feeling she would be alright with this.

"How are ya, Mom?" Mr. Turtle smiled.

"Same as always," Granny smiled back as she took off her apron. "But isn't it wonderful that your sister's visiting?"

"Aunt Lucy?" Franklin asked. "Is she here?"

"In the backyard." Granny smiled.

"Then let's go see her." Cherry said.

They soon followed Franklin into the backyard and saw a grill cooking with his aunt and Sam from earlier.

"Hi, Aunt Lucy!" Franklin beamed.

"Franklin, you're just in time," Lucy smiled. "The corn's just about done."

"Mm..." Patch smiled back, hungrily.

Sam coughed from the smoke and Lucy soon cleared it away from her and Franklin found himself staring at the turtle girl.

"Mm... Something smells good..." Mrs. Turtle smiled until she saw the girl. "Oh, hello."

"Everyone, this is my goddaughter, Samantha." Lucy introduced.

"Yeah, we've met." Mo said.

"She's been traveling with me this summer." Lucy continued.

"Hello, Monster." Cherry whispered.

"Hello, Samantha." Mr. Turtle smiled.

"Hi, but please, call me Sam." The turtle girl replied.

"What a coincidence," Mrs. Turtle smiled. "That's the name of your stuffed toy, Franklin!"

"Oh, boy..." Junior whispered, having a bad feeling Sam might start teasing.

"Mom!" Franklin complained.

"That's okay," Sam smirked and crossed her arms. "Most _little_ kids I know have dolls."

"And here comes the teasing." Junior sighed.

"Hey, I'm just being honest." Sam replied.

"Well, I'm not a little kid!" Franklin frowned.

"You are, you're younger than me," Sam smirked. "That's what your aunt said."

"Leave Franklin alone!" Junior told Sam.

"JJ..." Mo frowned a bit.

"Hey, you don't have to be like that." Sam defended.

Junior glared as he didn't know how or why Sam was Lucy's goddaughter, but she wasn't a very nice turtle.

"That was Sam playing 'Monster' this morning," Lucy smiled to the others. "I'm afraid she's a bit of a mischief maker."

"A bit?" Cherry deadpanned.

"It was just a joke, you didn't have to get so scared." Sam shrugged innocently.

"You jumped out wearing a mask while in the dark, how could we not be scared?" Junior asked.

"I wasn't scared." Franklin defended.

"Heh... Could've fooled me." Sam smirked.

Cherry turned to the others with a small smirk. "My dad knows a friend with a recipe for turtle soup."

"Don't you dare." Atticus told her.

"Who's ready?" Granny changed the subject. "Who wants to serve?"

"I'll take care of that, Mom." Mr. Turtle offered.

"Yes, you go sit down," Lucy added. "Come on, Sam, give us a hand."

 _'I'm having mixed feelings about her.'_ Mo thought to herself about Sam.

Sam stuck her tongue out to the others as she went inside with Lucy.

"I told Aunt Lucy to set up my old phonograph outside, Franklin," Granny smiled to cheer up her grandson. "Feel like cutting a rug?"

"Can we dance to your favorite song?" Franklin smiled back.

"It's on the turntable." Granny smiled before hugging him.

"Great." Junior smiled back.

"Come on, you all, dinner's getting cold!" Mrs. Turtle called out.

"Okay, Mom!" Franklin called back as he soon left with his grandmother and the others.

"I can't wait to eat." Mo smiled.

* * *

They soon all sat down and ate corn on the cob with some hot dogs and fruit with glasses of lemonade. Mo couldn't help but stare at her hot dog since she couldn't eat meat the same way again sometimes.

"Is something wrong, Mo?" Granny asked.

"Oh... Uh... I'm sorry, I just... I don't really eat hot dogs." Mo said.

"More for me." Cherry said, taking her hot dog and ate it in front of her.

Mo soon gulped from that as that kind of made her a bit sick.

"Mm... Hot dog~..." Cherry smirked.

"Cherry, you can be so inconsiderate sometimes..." Atticus sighed.

"Am not." Cherry pouted.

"Oh, really?" Gloriosa asked as she saw her little sister looked sick after seeing Cherry eating the hot dog.

"She's fine." Cherry said.

"Excuse me." Mo said before standing up and walking away.

"Cherry, you know that Mo is a vegetarian now." Atticus reminded her.

Mo soon took a moment alone and came back and they finished up dinner.

"Are you alright, dear?" Granny asked Mo.

"Yes, I'll be okay now..." Mo said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were a vegetarian." Lucy said to her.

"No, it's alright; I should have told you earlier." Mo frowned.

"Still a good dinner," Cherry said. "Thanks for having us."

"Oh, Franklin, I almost forgot, this is for you." Lucy smiled as she held out a box for her nephew.

"Thank you, Aunt Lucy." Franklin smiled back and soon opened the box to see that it was a musical recorder.

"Ooh." Junior smiled.

Franklin soon began to play the recorder peacefully. The others smiled to the song as it sounded very wonderful and they clapped when he finished.

"Thanks for the recorder, Aunt Lucy," Franklin smiled. "Where did you get it?"

"It was made by a friend of mine," Lucy smiled back. "A sweet old panda from China."

Mo could tell that this friend of Lucy's was as sweet as she sounded.

"So, where you off to next, Sis?" Mr. Turtle asked his sister.

"Egypt, to search for a mysterious long-lost tomb." Lucy said as Harriet soon tugged on her grandmother's shawl.

Granny soon looked down to see Harriet and carried her.

"I can't wait to get started~" Lucy beamed.

"You sure love your adventures." Mo smiled at Lucy.

"They're very special, I just love my job." Lucy smiled back.

"Did she tell you that she's leaving in ten days?" Granny asked the others.

"There's lots to do before I set sail," Lucy said. "And I have to get Sam back home before school starts."

"Goody." Cherry said.

"Oh... It's just, we don't get to see you very often..." Granny said to her daughter. "I'm not getting any younger, you know."

This made most of the others frown, but Harriet was oblivious since she was a toddler.

"Oh, you'll probably outlive us all." Lucy smiled encouragingly and patted her hand.

"Maybe." Mo said.

"True, I'm not gallivanting all over the world, getting into mischief." Granny smirked.

This made the others laugh.

"Still, it's lovely having the whole family together, isn't it?" Granny smiled as she hugged Harriet.

"Oh, that reminds me." Mrs. Turtle smiled as she brought out a photo album from her bag.

"Ooh." Junior smiled as he saw the photo album.

Mrs. Turtle smiled and cracked open the book for all to see. "And here we are, a picture of Baby Franklin with his Aunt Lucy."

Franklin was shown as a baby with Lucy behind him, putting her fedora on him.

"Aww, he's so cute~" Sam cooed.

"Yeah, well, at least _I_ don't look like a monster." Franklin glared to her.

"Let's let bygones be bygones." Mo told Franklin and Sam.

"She started it." Franklin huffed before slamming the recorder down on the table and stormed off.

"I'm sorry," Sam frowned to the others. "I didn't mean to-"

"We know," Lucy said. "I'll see what I can do to cheer up Mr. Grumpy."

Lucy soon went to talk with Franklin. Sam simply pouted at the table. Cherry just glared.

"You gonna be okay, Cherry?" Patch asked.

"She's worse than Cera." Cherry grumbled.

"No argument here, but she's slightly different from Cera." Mo said.

"Who's Cera?" Sam asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know, you dinosaur?" Cherry glared.

"Hey, I'm just a kid." Sam defended.

"Let's just say Cera's kinda like you, except she's a little more aggressive." Mo told Sam.

"Yes!" Cherry replied.

Sam simply pouted.

"You better say you're sorry to Franklin when he comes back, Miss Busybody!" Cherry snapped.

"Okay, that's it." Mo said before dragging Cherry out.

"Lemme at her! Lemme at her!" Cherry called out, reaching out for the turtle girl. "I'm gonna make Master Splinter work her to the bone!"

Mo and Cherry were soon outside where none of the Turtle family members would hear them. Franklin sat alone until his aunt came to join him.

* * *

"Calm down, will you?" Mo said to Cherry. "Sheesh! I've never seen you this tense over a bully before."

"Well, since she's Lucy's goddaughter that makes her related to Franklin, and where it's one to tease a family member, but scare him or her and thinks it's funny, that is just taking it too far." Cherry told her.

"I know, but you can't let her get to you..." Mo said. "Maybe she'll warm up a little."

"Hm..." Cherry hummed about that, but shrugged.

There was soon a special song being played back with the Turtles.

"What's that song?" Mo asked.

"I guess we should find out." Cherry shrugged.

* * *

They soon came back and Franklin and Lucy seemed to do the same. Franklin smiled to his grandmother as he began to dance with her and his parents.

"Looks like Franklin cheered up." Mo smiled.

"Momo, can we go to Miss Lucy's place tomorrow after breakfast?" Junior asked. "She invited us over after talking with Franklin."

"Sure we can, JJ." Mo smiled.

"Yay!" Junior cheered which made Mo, Gloriosa, and Timber smile for his happiness.

Sam soon tried to dance along with the others, but it wasn't very good. Harriet had fallen asleep on the porch swing while everyone else danced to the old music. Mo couldn't help, but awe at how cute Harriet looked sleeping.

"Now pick your partner!" Mr. Turtle called.

Franklin ran to someone, but ended up in front of Sam. Sam soon gave him a friendly smile and held out her hands, but he just shut her down.

"Come on, Franklin; give Sam a chance." Mo told him.

Franklin shook his head and soon danced with his sleeping sister.

"Ah... Dances..." Cherry sighed as she sat at the table and had some leftover cake.

Mo sighed before looking at Sam with a friendly smile. Sam pouted as she soon sat down at the table with Cherry, but looked up at Mo. Even the fireflies in the lantern seemed to be dancing together as they provided light for the night. Sam soon saw Mo offering her to be her dance partner. Mo smiled politely and nicely to the turtle girl. Sam soon smiled back and danced with Mo and the two of them soon had fun.

"You remind me a lot of myself." Mo said to the young turtle girl.

"I do?" Sam smiled.

"You know, Sam, Franklin may be younger than you, but you can be friends." Mo suggested.

Sam frowned as she was unsure about that.

"Think about it, okay?" Mo asked her. "What do you really want out of this summer?"

"Well... To be honest, I've always wanted to go on an adventure." Sam said to her.

"Well, you just might get an adventure." Mo smiled.

"If you say so..." Sam sighed as she felt like that was unlikely.

* * *

Eventually, it was very late which meant that it was time for bed.

"Alright, it's time for bed." Mo said.

"Aww..." Junior pouted.

"Come on, kiddo, I'll carry you." Gloriosa smiled.

Junior smiled back to her and came into her arms so she could carry him.

"Uh, where do we sleep though?" Cherry asked.

"Last time when I was here with Rosie, we stayed with Franklin and his family." Junior told her.

"So, I guess that's where we'll be sleeping?" Cherry guessed.

"Why not?" Junior replied.

"Well... At least one turtle won't be there." Cherry muttered, referring to Sam who would stay with Lucy obviously.

"That's right." Junior said.

* * *

They soon followed the family home.

 _'This will be a peaceful night.'_ Mo thought to herself.

"Of course you can stay with us." Mrs. Turtle smiled.

"Thanks, Mrs. Turtle," Mo smiled back. "This means a lot to us."

"Yeah, it really does." Atticus added.

"I suppose." Cherry shrugged.

Everyone was given either the couch or a guest bed and soon went to get some sleep after a pretty big day, and where the adventure would soon start.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning came and it was time for breakfast.

"This is going to be delicious." Mo smiled.

"Is it...?" Cherry asked based on what she knew on turtle's diet. "I mean... Can't these turtles eat pizza?"

"Oh, sometimes we do eat pizza, but not for breakfast." Franklin told her.

" _Turtles_ eating _pizza_?" Junior looked at Cherry funny.

"Just thinking about some different turtles." Cherry said.

Junior let out a small giggle. Mr. and Mrs. Turtle decided to give the others some cereal without bugs, but of course, Franklin and Harriet enjoyed the bugs.

"Harriet, please don't play with your food." Mrs. Turtle told her daughter.

"Yeah, it's for eating, not for playing." Cherry added.

Harriet soon ate up and finished, giving her bowl to the sink after she was done.

"I can't believe all the bugs in this cereal." Mrs. Turtle said as she took the bowl.

"I don't think there's enough." Franklin smiled as he ate another bug out of his bowl.

"I think there is." Mo said.

"Would monsieur like some more?" Mr. Turtle asked his son with a French accent.

"Yes, please." Franklin smiled as he held out his bowl to eat more bugs.

Cherry cupped her mouth and soon ran out as she felt sick to her stomach.

"Now you know how Mo felt last night!" Patch told Cherry. "It's karma working its magic on you!"

"Karma doesn't exist!" Cherry cried back out.

"So, off to your aunt's for the day, Franklin?" Mrs. Turtle asked her son.

"Uh-huh, it's going to be fun." Franklin smiled.

"Are you including Sam in that fun?" Mrs. Turtle then asked.

"Which Sam are you referring to?" Junior asked.

"Lucy's goddaughter of course," Mrs. Turtle said. "You know, you weren't very nice to her last night."

"Well, she wasn't very nice to me." Franklin firmly defended.

"You just got off to a bad start," Mrs. Turtle replied. "Why not take some flowers?"

"That would be fine." Mo said.

"Flowers?!" Franklin groaned. "That's a _girl_ thing!"

"Exactly," Mr. Turtle said before smirking towards his wife. "Girls always fall for flowers."

"Although we don't exactly know what flowers she likes." Mo said.

"Why don't you try these?" Mrs. Turtle offered as she brought out flowers from her vase. "They're nice and fresh. Franklin, Sam is your aunt's goddaughter, why don't you try being nice to her?"

Franklin knew he couldn't argue with his parents, so he decided to just suck it up. "Okay..." he then said as he took the flowers from his mother.

Harriet giggled to that. "Franklin look pretty!"

"Yes, he does." Cherry smirked as she soon came back in.

"At least nobody will see me." Franklin muttered, referring to his friends.

* * *

They soon left the house to go to Lucy's place as promised.

 _'I'm sure this time will be better than last time.'_ Mo thought to herself.

Franklin was nervous to be seen with flowers, hoping his friends wouldn't see him.

"Oh, relax, Franklin, there's nothing wrong with holding flowers," Gloriosa smiled soothingly to the young turtle. "Besides, I doubt they'll make fun of you for that. You look like a gentleman."

Franklin frowned as he didn't believe that. "I hope they don't mind me missing our game today though..." he then said. "I kinda forgot about it."

"Family comes first." Timber advised.

They soon came into the house and didn't find Lucy, but saw that Sam was at a desk and staring at a globe in awe.

"Looks like someone has a taste for adventure." Cherry said.

Sam suddenly looked over and saw Franklin and the others. "Oh, it's only you..." she then said as she went back to work. "If those are for your aunt, she just went upstairs."

"Actually, they're for you." Franklin smiled as he came up to her.

"Really? That's almost sweet," Sam smiled back before looking suspicious. "Was this _your_ idea?"

"He's just being nice." Patch assured her.

"You might wanna try it sometime," Cherry said only to get pulled away. "Dah!"

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Mo told her.

Cherry simply pouted out of anger and impatience.

"My dad says girls always fall for flowers." Franklin told Sam.

"Oh, really? Well, not this girl!" Sam harrumphed. "Besides, I've got work to do."

"What kind of work?" Mo asked.

"Lucy asked me to catalog some things while we're here," Sam replied. "She brought these pots from India."

"From India?" Franklin replied. "That's pretty neat!"

"Yeah... I guess it's cool, but I'd rather be out exploring the world with your aunt," Sam said as she came out of the chair. "Instead of keeping track of some dusty old pots... That's why I talked my folks into letting me spend the summer with her. I spent all last night getting ready for a dig near the ocean..." she then made the globe spin with a disappointed frown. "But that fell through, and we came here instead... Some adventure."

"You never know, your adventure might come when you least expect it." Mo told Sam.

Sam just shrugged and collected some pots into a box.

"Woodland is a neat place, you know," Franklin told Sam. "I've had lots of adventures here."

"You have?" Sam asked out of disbelief.

"It's true." Junior smiled.

"Anyway, I don't even know why I'm talking to you," Sam crossed her arms. "Especially after the way you treated me last night."

"Well, you started it by scaring us." Franklin retorted.

"Ha! You said you weren't scared!" Sam smirked. "And at least I said I was sorry..."

Mo simply sighed as she knew where this would end up.

"That's what these were for..." Franklin told Sam, holding out the bouquet.

"Hi, Franklin~" Beaver's voice smirked.

"Oh, no..." Junior groaned.

Beaver, Bear, and Snail were all shown at the door.

"I hope we're not interrupting." Beaver smirked.

"Hey, he _does_ have flowers." Bear smiled.

"This is not what it looks like!" Junior defended Franklin.

"He's right," Franklin added. "They're for my aunt!"

"And this must be her goddaughter," Beaver said, looking at Sam. "The scary monster."

"That's me, but you can call me Sam." The female turtle replied.

"Were you 'earsdropping'?" Junior pouted. "That's bad! My parents and big brother and sisters say earsdropping is a terrible habit!"

"And it is." Mo nodded firmly.

"It's also _eaves_ dropping." Gloriosa whispered to Junior.

"Oh... Right... Sorry." Junior then said.

"Anyway, what happened, Franklin?" Bear asked his best friend. "We waited a whole hour for you!"

"I guess he had better things to do." Beaver smirked.

"I take back what I said last night, she seems to be kind of like Cera than Sam." Cherry told Atticus.

"Look... Uh... Beaver, plans came up," Atticus said. "Sometimes plans change for friends."

"So what's with the goofy costumes?" Sam asked Franklin's friends.

"Our costumes aren't goofy!" Bear glared.

"Yeah, can't you tell we're pirates?" Beaver added.

"I don't think she's used her imagination in a long time." Cherry told them.

"Not my fault I'm not a little kid." Sam defended.

Cherry just rolled her eyes to that.

"Pirates?" Lucy's voice asked before she appeared with a beard and a captain hat to look like an aggressive pirate. "Shiver me timbers! Who dares disturb the dark lair of Captain Silverbeard?" she asked before sliding down the banister while Beaver and Bear looked amazed at an adult playing pretend.

 _'Awesome.'_ Timber thought to himself.

Lucy soon brought out the mop handle to use as a cane.

"This is my Aunt Lucy," Franklin introduced. "These are my other friends: Bear and Beaver."

"Argh, the pleasure be all mine!" Lucy replied as she bowed and tipped her hat. "Now, what be the adventure today, me hearties?"

"We be goin' on a treasure hunt!" Beaver smiled.

Sam let out a very loud and bored yawn.

"Well, that was a little rude." Cherry glanced at her.

"Do you always make snide comments that don't matter to anyone?" Sam replied.

"You wantin' to join us, Missy?" Lucy asked her goddaughter. "It'll be a walk to the plank if ya don't!"

"Guess I'll take my chances with the sharks." Sam replied.

"Don't you know how to have fun with others?" Mo asked Sam, already knowing what that answer meant.

"Besides playing some dumb kid's game." Sam replied.

"Well, what if we went looking for real buried treasure?" Lucy suggested.

"Real treasure?" Junior smiled.

"No way..." Cherry said.

"I have something to prove it," Lucy said, taking a framed picture and blew the dust off. "Here it be: Turtle Lake. About a day's hike from here."

"Ooh." Junior smiled.

"A real live pirate map?!" Beaver gushed.

"Did you ever look for the treasure?" Sam asked out of interest.

"Aye, matey," Lucy smiled before frowning in her normal voice. "But I never found it... So! Who be with me?"

"Us!" Atticus, Mo, and Patch smiled back.

"Yeah!" Franklin and his friends added.

"Better than hanging around here." Sam rolled her aqua eyes.

"It's decided then, buckos," Lucy smirked. "We cast off tomorrow!" she then looked to Beaver, Bear, and Snail. "Come along, you three, we best be getting your parents' permission."

"Yes." Mo nodded in agreement.

Franklin looked at the map that his aunt gave him and Sam leaned next to him to look with him.

"Don't you wanna come with us?" Bear asked his best friend.

"Uh, it's okay..." Franklin said. "I'll see ya later."

"You sure?" Timber asked.

"What's the matter?" Sam smirked. "Don't you wanna play with your little pals?"

"No, I'd rather find out more about the treasure," Franklin said as he looked at the map. "And I think I know who might know the way."

"Really?" Mo asked. "Who?"

"Granny," Franklin smiled. "Come on, let's go see her."

* * *

They soon came to see the old turtle and she smiled at the picture after asking and greeting the others about them before getting to the point.

"I haven't seen this map in years," Granny smiled. "How did you know I made it?"

"I recognized your nice printing." Franklin smiled back to his grandmother.

"Who else would?" Cherry smirked.

"Did Aunt Lucy give this to you?" Granny asked Franklin.

"Uh-huh!" Franklin smiled. "She's taking us to Turtle Lake to look for the treasure."

"She... Is...?" Granny replied softly.

"Why'd you make this map for her?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, why did you bury it?" Franklin added.

"Oh, you kids don't wanna hear my old stories..." Granny smiled.

"Stories... From a grandparent...?" Cherry whispered, sounding emotional.

"Please tell us." Mo begged.

Franklin, Junior, and Sam soon sat down out of excitement.

"Yes, please, Granny, tell us a story!" Cherry said.

This made everybody stare at her.

"Uh, for the sake of the kids..." Cherry said flatly.

"Very well..." Granny replied before sighing sharply. "The story behind this map begins long before I made it, back when I was about Sam's age, I lived in Little Turtle Lake. I was born and raised there, in a small cabin by the water's edge. I spent mornings fishing with my father, and afternoons picking berries with my mother. Turtle Lake was a perfect place to grow up, especially in the summer, and I had the most perfect hiding place there. A secret place in the woods... I'd stay there for hours, hidden by thick and sweet honeysuckle. Everything just seemed so perfect. Heaven knows where I got the idea, but I hidden keepsakes, in an old tin box. Then I sealed the time capsule, and took it to my special hiding spot, and that's where I buried it."

"Whoa." The group smiled.

"You buried it?" Franklin asked his grandmother, wondering why she did that.

"Why?" Junior added.

"That's what you do with a time capsule," Sam told them. "You keep it for a long time, and then dig it up!"

"Ohh." Junior smiled.

"It helps show people what your life was like when you buried it." Granny smiled back.

"We have one at my school, and we're not going to open it for ten years!" Sam continued.

"So, what did you put in your time capsule, Granny?" Cherry asked, really invested with the story.

"Things my parents gave me, things I made..." Granny said softly. "It was a very long time ago, dear."

"So then we just have to unbury it." Mo said.

"You can try." Granny replied.

"Didn't you ever open it?" Gloriosa asked.

"No... I never got the chance..." Granny said before getting emotional and soft. "A few nights after I buried it, my parents let me sleep in their tent..."

"That was nice of them." Timber smiled.

"Yes... It was..." Granny replied in memory. "However, it was very hot that summer and very dry... They say a lightning storm started the fire. All I know is, I lost everything that night."

"That's terrible." Mo frowned.

Granny agreed, but looked to the sad faces and decided to cheer them up. "Yes, but as I said, it was a pretty long time ago, and here we are on such a fine summer day..." she then smiled as she stood up and looked out into the forest.

"Did you ever go back there, ma'am?" Gloriosa asked.

"Not right away," Granny said. "I went to stay at my aunt's from then on in Woodland. We visited the lake a year later, but nothing was the same. Without the usual landmarks, I couldn't find my secret hideaway. I haven't been back since, but Franklin's aunt was very interested when I lost my old time capsule."

"She seems like the adventure type." Atticus said.

"That must be why you gave her the map!" Patch said out of realization.

"So, what happened?" Franklin asked as his grandmother gave her the map back.

"Your father can tell you the rest," Granny suggested as she sounded exhausted. "The key to Turtle Lake..."

"Franklin's dad?" Cherry asked out of confusion. "He knows too?"

"Well, of course, he is my son after all." Granny smiled wearily.

"I guess that's a good point." Cherry said.

Granny soon carefully sat down in her chair.

"Um, are you okay, Miss?" Cherry asked out of concern.

"Oh, I'll be fine..." Granny smiled. "You all get out of here... Just... Tired from all this storytelling."

"Oh, okay." Mo said.

Franklin looked back to his grandmother as she sat down to quiet down a little and they left her alone, going back to his home.

"Say hi to Turtle Lake for me." Granny told them as she winded herself down.

"We will." Patch smiled.

They soon left as Granny soon fell asleep in her chair. Franklin gave her a kiss before leaving with the others. Once they were gone, Granny seemed to cry in her hands. Patch seemed to hear that and was confused as to why she was crying.

* * *

"Hello there." Mr. Turtle smiled to them once they came home.

"You got your photo album anywhere?" Cherry asked, feeling it might be important.

"Ah, yes, of course." Mr. Turtle nodded and went to get it.

"Great." Mo said.

They soon took a look at the photo album, seeing the many nostalgic photographs.

"That's Aunt Lucy?" Franklin asked, seeing a young turtle in an inner tube and swimming in the lake around Cherry, Atticus, and Mo's ages.

"She looks so young!" Sam added.

"We were both in our teens that summer we hiked out in the lake," Mr. Turtle smiled. "It's nice you're getting the chance to go up there," he then smirked to Franklin and Sam. "And nice to see you two on friendly terms."

"And nothing more." Junior added.

"Actually, we're more like fellow adventurers than friends," Sam told Mr. Turtle. "Oh! And thank you for the flowers, Mr. Turtle, they were lovely."

Franklin looked nervous as Sam brought that up.

"Is that Lucy looking for Granny's time capsule?" Mo asked for Franklin's sake as they saw a young turtle looking at the map and digging with a shovel only to look confused.

"That must be her." Atticus said.

"Yes, she must've gone over every square inch of those woods," Mr. Turtle nodded in memory. "She found lots of interesting old things, but not the time capsule."

"I bet that's where she got the idea to become an archaeologist." Sam smiled.

"You know, I'll bet you're right." Mr. Turtle smiled back.

"So, I guess that's where her special talent came from." Mo smiled back.

"Dad, do you know what Granny put in the time capsule?" Franklin wondered.

"She never said anything to me," Mr. Turtle replied. "I'm surprised she told _you_ about it."

"Ooh, this is even more interesting." Cherry smiled.

"I wonder why Lucy would try so hard to find it?" Patch wondered.

"My guess? It wasn't what was in the box that intrigued her, as much as solving the mystery of where it went." Mr. Turtle suggested.

This got the kids excited as the telephone suddenly rang.

"Who could that be?" Mo asked.

Mr. Turtle decided to answer the phone. "Hello? We were just talking about you!"

"Hear that?" Sam beamed. "A mystery! I might get my big adventure after all!"

"You sure will." Mo smiled.

"You called Dr. Bear?" Mr. Turtle's voice asked which made everyone look curious. "We'll be right there."

"Sir?" Junior frowned.

"That was Aunt Lucy," Mr. Turtle said gravely. "Granny's taken ill."

"W-What?" Mo frowned.

"S-S-She is...?" Cherry asked, she could feel her heart sink in her chest.

"We have to go over..." Mr. Turtle frowned to them.

"We better hurry then." Gloriosa told them.

Junior closed the photo album and handed it to Mr. Turtle.

"Oh, thank you." Mr. Turtle said to him and put the book back before they left.

* * *

They soon came to see Granny again, but no one was more in a rush to go and see her than Franklin's father.

 _'This is more serious than the last time Rosie and I were here.'_ Junior thought to himself.

Beaver, Bear, and Snail seemed to be there as Mr. Turtle ran inside of the house.

"Um, hey, what're you doing here?" Cherry asked them.

"We were playing at Bear's place when Franklin's aunt called his mom." Beaver said.

"Oh! And we both got permission to go to Turtle Lake," Bear added. "Neat, huh?"

"That's great." Patch said.

"I don't think we're going anymore, Bear." Franklin frowned.

Sam sighed and rolled her eyes. "We're not going _anywhere_ because Granny's sick."

Bear then made a face to mock her since she was being so rude. Mo simply sighed as that wasn't making the situation any better. Cherry seemed to be the most angry with Sam about saying what she said about Granny.

* * *

They soon went upstairs as Mr. Turtle ran to see his mother.

"You kids wait here for now." Mr. Turtle told the younger ones.

"Please..." Cherry begged emotionally. "Let me see her too!"

Atticus and the others had never seen Cherry like this. Mr. Turtle looked to her and soon let Cherry come inside as she looked emotional. The door was closed, but to a slight crack as the kids stayed in the hallway. Junior began to hope that Granny would get better. Gloriosa and Timber soon hugged Junior to comfort him.

"What happened?" Mr. Turtle asked Dr. Bear.

"I don't know, but she seems to have come down with a fever..." Dr. Bear replied.

Cherry frowned as that was severe.

"I'll do what I can, but nothing seems to bring the fever down." Dr. Bear said.

"How serious is it?" Cherry asked in a soft tone of voice.

"At Granny's age?" Dr. Bear replied. "She might only have a few days."

This caused Cherry to gasp. Soon, Lucy and Mr. Turtle left the room. Cherry stayed right where she was as she looked down to Granny.

"Is Granny going to be okay?" Franklin asked.

"We hope so, son." Mr. Turtle replied.

Mo frowned as she wished there was something she could do.

"Can we go and see her?" Franklin then asked.

"Mm-hmm." Dr. Bear smiled and nodded to her son's best friend.

"Okay, Franklin, but... Not for long." Mr. Turtle said.

The kids soon went in to see Granny. Cherry looked frozen in place and looked quite miserable, even if Granny wasn't her grandmother.

"Just Franklin, Bear," Dr. Bear told her son. "You and Beaver can visit later if you'd like."

"Aww, but what about _Sam_?" Bear complained.

"Inside voice, Bear..." Dr. Bear told him. "Granny needs peace and quiet now."

"She's right." Mo nodded.

"Come downstairs with us, and we'll find some cookies." Lucy smiled to Bear.

"Okay..." Bear replied before going downstairs with everyone else.

"Mm... Cookies..." Junior smiled.

"Sorry, Bear." Franklin frowned.

"He'll be okay, Franklin," Dr. Bear smiled. "You go on in, I'll be just across the hall."

* * *

Franklin soon went in to see Granny. Sam frowned to him and looked at Granny with him. Granny laid in her bed and looked absolutely miserable.

"Hi, Granny..." Franklin said softly. "Harriet sends kisses, and so does Mom. Everyone else is here... Even Snail! I sure wish there was something we could do."

"Mm... My time capsule..." Granny muttered, but didn't wake up. "Remember..."

Cherry was listening to all of this from the door.

* * *

"Dad!" Franklin called out as he felt inspired by what his grandmother said. "Aunt Lucy! Granny asked for her time capsule!"

"She did...?" Lucy replied from the porch with the others. "When?"

"Just now!" Sam replied. "In her sleep!"

"They're right." Cherry told them.

"Do you know where Granny put her time capsule, Aunt Lucy?" Franklin asked.

"No, Franklin, she never much liked talking about Turtle Lake," Lucy replied softly. "Although, she once mentioned something about a Turtle Talisman."

"Turtle Talisman?" Junior asked out of confusion.

"A talisman is like a charm with special powers, right?" Sam asked.

"Yes, our ancestors saw it as a turtle life force," Lucy informed with a smile. "It was said to strengthen that life force and protect us from harm."

"Ooh." Junior smiled.

"You mean, like with magic?" Franklin asked.

"Can't say I believe in hocus pocus myself." Mr. Turtle said.

"Hm... Maybe Granny wants this talisman because she thinks it might make her better?" Atticus suggested.

"Yeah." Mo smiled.

"We have to go to Turtle Lake and find it!" Franklin told the adults.

"I don't know, Franklin," Lucy told her nephew. "There's no guarantee we'll find the time capsule or the talisman."

"But, if there's a chance, then we have to at least try, right?" Franklin replied.

"That's right." Atticus nodded.

Mr. Turtle frowned this and while Lucy had also, she soon smiled and felt interested.

"Okay, let's go to Turtle Lake." Lucy decided.

"Wahoo!" Junior cheered.

The other kids cheered along with him in excitement.

"But you know, there might be another way to get a talisman." Lucy suggested.

"Yeah, maybe Mr. Mole has some at his store?" Bear replied.

Sam scoffed and rolled her eyes to that.

"He might." Mo agreed.

"No," Atticus shook his head. "You can't simply buy a talisman. They're very rare."

"You can't just buy a talisman at a store, you two," Lucy told them. "They're very rare. Remember Old Turtle?" she then asked her brother.

"You mean the witch who lives near Turtle Lake?" Mr. Turtle replied to his sister.

"She's a witch?" Beaver wondered.

"She's more of a... Mystic..." Lucy replied. "And if anyone has a talisman, she will. We can stop by on our way to the Lake. We'll meet back, first thing in the morning."

"Let's tell your mom, Bear!" Beaver told Bear before running with him.

"She doesn't waste a second, does she?" Gloriosa asked.

"She sure doesn't." Franklin replied.

"I need to check on Mom." Mr. Turtle said before going inside.

Cherry soon went to go and follow him.

"What's with Cherry?" Junior asked Atticus.

"I'm not sure... I think I should ask her when we're alone." Atticus suggested.

"Sam, we best get packing." Lucy told her goddaughter.

"It looks like our big adventure's back on, guys." Sam smiled to the others as she stopped for a moment as Lucy walked ahead.

"Sure looks like it." Atticus smiled back.

"Sam!" Lucy called.

"Hey, you might even get your chance to be a hero!" Sam told Franklin before going after her godmother.

"I don't wanna be a hero," Franklin sulked. "I just want my granny to get better."

"Well, you might get to be a hero while your granny gets better," Timber told him. "After all, The Turtle Talisman must have some magic left inside it."

They soon went home to go and get ready.

"Come on, Cherry." Patch told the perky goth.

Cherry looked back after she was told to let Mr. Turtle and Granny alone and soon followed them.

* * *

"So, Cherry, what was all of that about back in the cottage?" Junior asked as they left Granny's home.

"Uh... What?" Cherry asked, acting like nothing happened. She could tell Junior wasn't going to buy that act.

"Come on, Cherry, talk to us." Patch said.

"Is this about Aunt Dorothy?" Atticus asked.

Cherry looked over and soon walked a bit fast suddenly. Due to how fast she was going, that was her answer. Atticus soon went to chase after Cherry. Cherry kept trying to run to avoid talking about this, but unfortunately, she would have to.

"Stop, Cherry!" Atticus told her.

Cherry soon screeched to a halt and was surrounded by trees. "Ooh, why didn't I learn how to climb?" she then groaned.

"Finally." Atticus said.

Cherry yelped and soon went to hide.

"Gotcha." Atticus said before holding to her.

Cherry soon grunted and struggled as she couldn't even move.

"This is about your Aunt Dorothy, isn't it?" Atticus asked.

Cherry looked back to him before looking away.

"It is, isn't it...?" Atticus asked.

Cherry soon welled up with tears and cried out. "Where was I?!" she then cried out before hugging him and throwing a fit of tears. "Where was I?! Where was I...?" she asked through pain and sorrow.

Atticus soon comforted his best friend.

Cherry soon sat down once she was let go. "I should've gone with my mother..." she said about the older woman who was like a grandmother to her since she never knew her own grandparents. "Why didn't I go? I knew she was sick... I knew she was dying..."

Atticus frowned as he hated to see his best friend sad. Cherry soon let it out.

"I'm sorry..." Atticus told her, giving her a gentle pat on the back.

Cherry stared at the ground as she blamed herself for not being there when her Aunt Dorothy died. Atticus began to soothe her the best he could. Mo's panting was heard as she came over and saw Cherry crying. Atticus shushed Mo as he comforted Cherry as she let it all out as she hadn't at the funeral, trying to bottle up her feelings. Mo could now understand why Cherry was acting the way she was in Granny's house.


	4. Chapter 4

Eventually, Cherry stopped, but she still looked miserable.

"You look like Rainbow Dash when Tank had to hibernate." Atticus said.

"Gee, thanks." Cherry muttered.

"Sorry." Atticus apologized.

Cherry soon held her throat as it felt sore.

"Here." Atticus said, giving her a glass of water.

Cherry looked to it and soon drank it and took a soft breath. "Thanks, I needed that." she then said with a small hydrated sigh.

"Better?" Atticus asked.

"I... I think so..." Cherry said softly. "Um... I guess we better get ready for Turtle Lake then?"

"Yes, we should." Mo nodded.

* * *

Later that night, they soon came to pack up and get ready for their journey. Junior wanted to know what happened with Cherry, but the others told him not to bring it up if she didn't want him to, so he tried to forget about it. It would be easy as Timber spent time with his little brother the only way brothers knew how. Junior tried to stand on his tiptoes and reach for something. Timber saw that and then carried Junior on his shoulders with a smile.

"Thanks, Timber." Junior smiled back to the older boy.

"What're you reaching for?" Timber asked.

"Picnic basket." Junior said before he soon found it and collected it.

"Don't pack just cookies now, you need other foods too." Timber chuckled.

"I know." Junior smiled.

* * *

Eventually, the next day came and they met back as promised.

"To Turtle Lake!" Lucy told the others.

"To Turtle Lake!" The others except for Franklin replied.

"To save Granny..." Franklin whispered.

"Let's get going." Mo said.

They soon went out the picket fence and they began their journey to Turtle Lake.

"This adventure is serious, just like the last one." Junior told the others.

"Not as much though..." Mo said.

"Uh, what happened?" Timber asked.

"Franklin, Snail, and me went out to find Spring for Woodland so that Harriet could be born." Junior smiled.

"Whoa." Gloriosa smiled back.

Sam just rolled her eyes as she didn't believe that.

"You weren't there, Sam, but Momo was." Junior firmly pouted.

"I tried to bring Spring myself, but I guess my powers aren't fully developed yet." Mo whispered to her siblings.

"Well, you are just a teen." Gloriosa whispered back.

"I know they'll come soon... I tried to help..." Mo said.

"It's alright, at least you tried." Timber smiled.

"That's right." Gloriosa nodded.

* * *

They soon walked for a rather long while and were soon even out of the neighborhood. Franklin still looked a little glum for his grandmother. Lucy soon cheered up her nephew by whistling a special little song to accompany them on their journey. The song seemed to be rather catchy. It was all about their journey to Turtle Lake and Franklin felt more determined now.

They took a quick food break in a safe part of the woods and when Beaver wasn't looking, Sam smirked as she put rocks into the beaver's bag as a little joke. Junior rolled his eyes as he should have known. Sam glanced at him and Junior glanced back as he didn't even stop her. Sam then added another rock inside of Cherry's bag. After eating, they went to continue on and Cherry and Beaver soon looked out of breath.

"Jeez, what's in this bag, rocks?!" Cherry complained.

"You really should get more exercise." Atticus told Cherry.

Cherry grumbled slightly as she trudged along with Beaver. Sam hid a smirk as she then took Franklin's hand so they could carry Beaver while Bear carried their bags the rest of the way.

"I swear, this bag feels like there's rocks in it." Cherry told them.

"Sure, Cherry." Mo said.

"It is!" Cherry complained. "Listen to me!"

Timber hummed before taking the bag off Cherry's back and soon felt that it was heavy like rocks were in it.

Cherry fell slightly from the weight difference.

"Say, Cherry might be right..." Timber said. "Cherry, you didn't overpack this like your backpack for school, did you?"

"No, I didn't," Cherry promised. "It was fine earlier."

Timber soon opened her bag and soon saw that it had rocks in it. "What the-?!" The older boy asked out of confusion. "Rocks?!"

Sam soon laughed to that as they came to relax by a stream after walking so long.

"My paws are killing me!" Bear groaned tiredly.

Beaver soon looked suspicious and opened her own bag to see that she also had rocks.

"I think I know _who_ put rocks in these bags." Cherry glared as she looked straight at Sam.

"I should've known..." Beaver narrowed her eyes.

"Well, I don't think it's funny!" Bear scolded Sam.

"It is kind of." Franklin smiled sheepishly.

"Wait, you think Sam putting rocks in mine and Beaver's bags is funny?" Cherry asked Franklin out of surprise.

"Well, it kind of is." Franklin shrugged innocently.

Cherry glared slightly. "Great, our bags are heavy and Franklin likes it, and we don't have a way to Old Turtle's house!"

Suddenly, they were all surrounded by butterflies.

"What the-?" Mo asked out of confusion.

"Oh! Shoo! Shoo!" Cherry glared at the butterflies.

"Hey, they're like Fluttershy's cutie mark." Atticus said as the butterflies were a very light pink color.

Lucy soon came back and looked curious of the butterflies which seemed to show them a path through the trees.

"They're showing us a path?" Junior smiled.

"They want us to follow them!" Mo beamed.

"Then why don't we?" Lucy agreed as that sounded like a good idea.

* * *

They soon left the stream and followed after the butterflies and they soon came behind the bushes to see a cherry blossom tree pathway which was really pretty.

"Ooh." Gloriosa smiled.

"Um, thanks..." Timber told the butterflies as they came inside.

"I've never seen a garden like this before," Sam commented. "This place is so cool!"

"That is most kind of you to say," An elderly voice said right behind them and they turned to see a very old turtle hunched over on a walking stick. "Oh, I see you've found them... Thank you, little ones..." She then smiled to the butterflies.

"Yes, thank you." Mo nodded.

"So, _you_ sent the butterflies...?" Atticus asked out of amazement.

"How else would you find me?" The turtle replied. "Forgive me, I am Old Turtle, and you are my guests this evening."

"It's so nice to meet you." Mo smiled.

"Likewise, dear..." Old Turtle smiled back as she took them to her home for some dinner.

"She seems nice." Junior smiled.

Mo, Gloriosia, and Timber smiled back to him in agreement.

* * *

The butterflies soon relaxed outside as they sat down and ate.

"I'm very sorry to hear about your granny," Old Turtle said to Franklin. "I remember her father well... He once saved my life."

"He did?" Timber smiled.

"Oh, yes," Old Turtle smiled back in memory, passing a plate around to the others. "One day, I was gathering wild herbs for the Eclipse, I got caught in a summer landslide. A large boulder pinned my leg, and I lay there without food or water for weeks."

"How did you survive that?!" Mo's eyes widened.

"With the help of this talisman," Old Turtle smiled as she took the talisman off around her neck and showed it to them. "It protected me those many days. Just as I was giving up hope, a rescue... Granny's father found me. I owed your great-grandfather my life, so I gave him one of these."

"That's what we're looking for," Junior said. "Well, at least one of the things."

"He must've given to my mother and she buried it near Turtle Lake." Lucy replied.

"Will a talisman like this make my granny better?" Franklin asked hopefully.

"Its power is very strong, and very old..." Old Turtle replied. "I believe it's the reason I still walk this Earth."

"Aww..." Bear frowned as the salt shaker was loose and a bunch of salt poured into his bowl.

"How in the world did that come loose?" Mo asked.

"I think I know." Cherry said as she shot a glare to Sam.

"Oh, my, I guess I didn't put that on tight enough," Old Turtle smiled innocently. "That's okay, there's plenty more soup."

Beaver looked to her, very curiously. "How _old_ are you anyway?" she then asked the elder reptile.

"Oh, I've lost count," Old Turtle chuckled. "But not all the candles would even fit on just the simple of birthday cakes."

"That's a lot of candles!" Snail commented.

"You said it, Snail." Junior said.

"We were going to put 80 on Granny's cake this year..." Franklin said with a sulk.

Cherry looked to him and soon looked down as her Aunt Dorothy was 79 when she died.

"Um, how's about we talk about something else?" Mo suggested.

"If you believe the talisman will save your granny, you must find it." Old Turtle advised.

"Can't you just give us one?" Bear asked.

Snail nodded in agreement.

"I'm afraid not," Old Turtle frowned. "They were made centuries ago, and handed down for over generations. This is the only one I have left."

"Then I guess we have to find the time capsule." Mo said.

"Unless we could borrow hers?" Sam suggested, gesturing to Old Turtle.

Old Turtle looked to them and soon held out the talisman and the butterflies carried it towards Franklin. "If it would help your grandmother, you may take it..." she then said softly, though a bit reluctant, but if it meant that much to them, she would allow it.

"Wait, ma'am, if we take your talisman, what will happen you?" Mo asked.

"Oh, you don't have to worry much about me..." Old Turtle said softly.

"But... We can't take your talisman..." Junior said. 'This is yours, we can find Granny's, and this belongs to you, we can't let you get sick."

"That's right." Gloriosa nodded.

The butterflies soon gave Old Turtle her talisman back.

"The talisman belongs here." Franklin agreed.

"Then, I will do what I can to help." Old Turtle said as she took her talisman back.

"We just hope that the map can help us find the time capsule." Patch said.

"Shh." Cherry said.

"She shushed me!" Patch complained.

"Patch... Shh..." Atticus said as the butterflies seemed to be doing something for Old Turtle.

"Okay." Patch whispered.

The butterflies flew all around outside.

"I see... A rainbow..." Old Turtle said as she held her talisman and her eyes were shut. "And beneath that, a sunflower..." she then let out a very breathless and exhausted gasp.

"Is that all you can tell us?" Franklin asked.

"Oh, my powers are not what they once were..." Old Turtle said softly. "But come tomorrow, that is what you must seek."

"Yes, ma'am." Mo nodded.

"Thank you, Miss Old Turtle, for everything." Junior added politely.

* * *

As it was late, they soon camped out and went to get some sleep.

 _'This is just like the last time I was here,'_ Junior thought to himself. _'Except no one's life was at stake.'_

"You doing okay, JJ?" Mo asked her little brother. "I know this adventure must be pretty scary, but... You seem to be handling it okay."

"This is the second time I've been sent here." Junior told her.

"I guess that would mean that it would be almost like a cake walk for you." Mo giggled.

"Who would wanna walk in cake?" Junior pouted.

"No, no," Mo chuckled. "A cake walk is basically something that's easy for someone."

"Ohh..." Junior said. "Well... I guess so, but... Granny's sick... She wasn't sick when I came here last time."

"Well, she must have been healthy last time." Mo said.

"Momo..." Junior said softly. "Is she going to die?"

"Well... We can hope she doesn't..." Mo told him.

"Do you know anyone who died?" Junior asked.

Mo looked back, she let out a soft sigh as it was just the two of them. "JJ, you might not remember this, but... When you were very young, do you remember when Scamp ran away from home, and I came back with him and Angel?" she then asked, though he was very young at the time and probably wouldn't remember.

"Yeah?" Junior nodded.

"Well... You see... I was a street urchin..." Mo said. "I was an orphan who didn't have a home... I always traveled with Angel."

"What about Mom and Dad?" Junior asked. "Did you run away from them?"

"Well... Actually... We have different parents..." Mo told him. "I was actually adopted when we brought Scamp back home to you... I lost my real parents a long time ago."

"Oh..." Junior frowned.

"Now, JJ, I know that death sounds scary, but you shouldn't let it worry you..." Mo said. "Think positive on this adventure."

"I will." Junior nodded.

"Would you like a lullaby?" Mo asked.

Junior looked up to her and looked over. "What if Sam calls me a little kid?" he then asked.

"Oh, who cares what she thinks?" Mo comforted. "Besides, you're very smart for your age, you'll probably graduate high school at my age."

Junior smiled as he was happy to have a sister like Mo. Mo smiled back and soon sang him an old lullaby that she memorized, and the song began to help him get to sleep. Junior smiled before yawning. Mo then tucked him in and went to get some sleep herself.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day soon came. It was quite muggy and foggy outside, but they soon went outside.

"Mm..." Junior frowned.

"Yeah, I don't like muggy weather much either, JJ." Mo told her little brother.

"I can barely see a thing." Junior replied.

"Well, take a look at this." Lucy smiled to him.

Junior came to her and then smiled as the sunshine was down the path. "Whoa..."

* * *

Lucy smiled back to him and the others and let them walk that way first. They soon walked together and embraced the sunshine and Cherry soon walked with sunglasses on her face.

"Ah, Turtle Lake, at last." Beaver smiled.

"Wahoo!" Mo cheered.

"Ooh..." Gloriosa and Timber smiled at the sights and sounds of the nature, almost like in Camp Everfree.

"Is that all that's left of where Granny grew up?" Sam asked her godmother.

"Yes, Sam, it is." Lucy said softly.

"Whoa." Junior said.

Everyone soon put their bags down as they took in the atmosphere.

"According to the map, Granny buried the time capsule back there." Franklin pointed out as he looked at the map.

"That was easy, now we just have to dig it up." Patch said.

"What about 'I see a sunflower under a rainbow'?" Beaver asked, reminding them of what Old Turtle said.

"Rainbows don't appear until after it rains, and it sure doesn't look like rain." Sam told her.

"Unfortunately." Cherry muttered.

"Maybe this will help." Lucy said as she brought out a device.

"How is that going to help?" Cherry asked.

"Don't you know what this is?" Lucy smiled as the device spread out.

"A metal detector!" Sam smiled back.

"That's right," Lucy nodded as she flicked a coin as an example. "If there's anything made of metal out here, we'll find it."

"Genius!" Timber smiled.

"Cool, so let's split into teams." Sam suggested.

"Okay, Sam and I will help Aunt Lucy, and you guys look around down by the lake-" Franklin began.

"But Franklin, we're always on the same team!" Bear pouted.

"Just this once, you two won't be on the same team." Cherry said.

"It's okay, Bear." Beaver smiled.

"No, it's not!" Bear glared as he felt offended and stormed off.

"What's with him?" Cherry asked.

"Maybe you should go talk to your friend, Franklin." Lucy suggested.

"All right..." Franklin sighed as he walked to Bear with Snail on his shell.

"Is it just me or does Franklin seem to be acting different?" Junior asked.

"It's a little hard to explain, JJ, but it just happens when you spend some time with someone like Sam..." Mo said before bashfully looking to Atticus. "I kinda thought Atticus was a dork when I first met him."

"I still think so." Cherry smirked.

"Wait, so you mean Sam's been influencing Franklin?" Junior frowned.

"Uh... Um..." Mo stammered, not sure what to say. "Look, JJ, I don't mean this in a bad way..."

"Oh, wow..." Cherry deadpanned. "You know how to talk to kids."

"But ever since we met Sam, Franklin found what Sam did to Cherry's bag, and Beaver bag funny and wanted to be a different team without Bear." Junior pointed out.

"He does make a great point." Cherry nodded.

"At least they're getting along now?" Mo smiled nervously with a shrug.

"Yeah, but in the process, she's changing Franklin into kind of a bully." Cherry said.

"Now, I didn't say that..." Mo said. "I don't think Franklin is going to become a bully."

"I hope you're right." Junior frowned.

* * *

Soon, Franklin and Bear came back as Lucy began to dig underground.

"Hey, guys." Junior smiled.

"Did you guys make up?" Cherry smirked which made Atticus, Mo, Gloriosa, and Timber glance at her as she was having a grown-up joke between the mammal and reptile kids.

"Yeah... We did..." Bear replied.

Sam soon reached into the hole and took out an old can, but not the time capsule.

"That's great." Junior smiled at Franklin and Bear before seeing Sam had took out an old can.

"It's just an old can." Sam sulked.

"Aww..." Bear frowned to that.

"Ah, well," Lucy said as she collected it. "Let's refill the hole and keep moving. The day's still young."

"That's right." Gloriosa smiled.

"Come on, let's go check by the lake." Bear told Beaver before leaving with her.

"Maybe we can find the rainbow by the water." Beaver suggested.

"I'll handle this." Patch said as he went to fill the hole back up.

"Good boy." Atticus smiled.

Patch smiled back.

* * *

They continued to dig for quite some time and they didn't seem to find the time capsule.

"One broken can opener, three bottle caps, and a rusty old screw." Snail frowned.

"And this bent spoon." Sam sighed, adding it to the pile.

"Ugh! We're never going to find that time capsule!" Cherry complained.

"We didn't find anything either." Beaver frowned.

"I've devoted my whole life into discovering ancient cities and lost treasures, but the one thing I can't find is Mom's time capsule," Lucy pouted. "Even with this old map. I'm afraid it's lost for good."

Franklin looked to everyone as he put the shovel aside. "But we can't give up now! Not after we've come this far, we have to save Granny, Aunt Lucy." he said as he picked the map back up and handed it to her with a firm pout.

"Maybe we should look for what Old Turtle said yesterday?" Junior suggested.

"You're both right, we can't give up now, but I don't know where else to look." Lucy said as she took the map.

"Hello!" A tiny voice called out.

"Who said that?" Mo asked as she looked around.

"Up here!" The voice called out.

They soon looked up to the tree to see a young bird.

"Little Crow likes shiny pretties." The bird smiled towards the junk they found.

"Oh, you mean the junk?" Atticus asked the bird.

"Mm-hmm," The bird smiled and soon flew onto the shovel handle, eyeing Snail with great interest. "Can Little Crow play with pretty shell? Please?"

Snail frowned and nearly hid into his shell.

"Snail's our friend, not a toy." Sam glared.

Little Crow blew a raspberry at her. "Stinky Green!"

"Sorry, but Sam's right, Snail isn't a toy, but you can play with one of the, um, shiny things we found from digging." Junior told Little Crow.

"Big Hairy always gets pretties if Little Crow says please." Little Crow pouted as he flew back into the tree.

"Who's Big Hairy?" Timber asked.

"Big Hairy's... Big Hairy!" Little Crow shrugged like it was obvious.

"Do you live here at Turtle Lake?" Lucy asked.

"Uh-huh..." Little Crow pouted. "All by myself."

"That's so lonely." Mo frowned.

"Don't you have a family?" Snail added.

"Not anymore..." Little Crow frowned back softly.

"My granny lost her parents too," Franklin replied. "We're very sorry, Little Crow."

"Thank you..." Little Crow replied before brightening up. "New friends look so sad. Little Crow help?"

"Um, yes, actually." Junior smiled.

"You wouldn't happen to have seen any rainbows around here, have you?" Mo asked Little Crow.

"Oh, yes! But Little Crow wants something first~..." Little Crow smirked.

"One of our shiny things?" Junior guessed.

"Sorry, kid, but you can't have Snail." Cherry added.

"Okay..." Little Crow pouted as he flew down and then took the spoon. "Little Crow saw a rainbow at Great Bear Falls."

"So that must be where we need to go." Mo smiled.

"Of course," Beaver added. "Everyone knows that rainbows form at the bottom of waterfalls!"

"Uh, yeah, I totally knew that too." Mo smiled sheepishly.

"They're just a mile north from here." Lucy informed.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go." Timber smiled.

"I just wonder how the time capsule got all the way over there?" Mo wondered before shrugging.

"Old Turtle told us to look for a rainbow, so let's go to the Falls, but first, there's something I wanna do." Franklin said bravely and maturely.

"And what's that?" Atticus asked.

* * *

Franklin soon walked off in front and the others came to follow him. "To say goodbye to my great-grandparents..." he said softly as he had a bouquet of flowers like for a funeral and laid them against the marking of where Granny's parents had perished in a fire, many years before he had even been born.

Junior understood. Gloriosa put a hand on Franklin's shoulder with a comforting smile. Franklin looked back to her and soon smiled back.

"I just wanted to show Pretty Shell off to others..." Little Crow pouted to himself as he dropped the spoon and soon flew to the others to join them.

They walked for a while, but not too long.

"We can't be far now," Lucy smiled. "Are you guys holding up okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." Junior smiled back.

"I wonder what's keeping Franklin and Sam?" Patch wondered as he glanced back at the young turtles in the back.

Cherry suddenly stopped at the rocky path, not sure that she could make it up there, and she soon decided to go see what was keeping Franklin and Sam. Atticus smiled as he helped Mo up through the rock path.

"I just wanted to say, that was a really cool thing you did last night..." Sam said to Franklin, almost nervously. "Not taking Old Turtle's talisman, I mean."

"It was?" Franklin asked.

"Yes," Sam smiled sincerely. "I think you've been very brave and very sweet on this trip."

Cherry was surprised at how sincere Sam was being to Franklin.

"I have?" Franklin asked Sam. "Gee, thanks."

"Boy, I bet you feel bad now, huh, Franklin?" Snail asked.

Cherry soon face-palmed.

"Why would he feel badly, Snail?" Sam asked.

"He told Bear he was just being nice to you because his parents made him." Snail explained honestly.

"And thank you for ruining their nice moment together, Snail." Cherry groaned.

"Did you really say that?" Sam asked Franklin in disappointment.

"Well, yes, but-" Franklin frowned.

"You are such a little kid!" Sam complained before storming off.

"So close." Cherry said.

"It was the truth, but... Not anymore..." Franklin defended before glaring at Snail as he hid inside of his shell.

Little Crow soon swooped down and grabbed Snail, flying off with him.

"Little Crow!" Franklin called out.

"Franklin, help!" Snail cried out.

"Little Crow, stop!" Cherry demanded.

"Go to the Falls with my aunt," Franklin told Cherry and Sam. "I'll find Snail and meet you there."

"Alright." Cherry said.

Sam was about to go there, but when Franklin went off, she didn't.

"Okay, how am I gonna get up there?" Cherry wondered and saw that she was alone. "Sam?" she then looked over to see that Sam was going after Franklin now. This caused her to sigh as she went after them.

* * *

After a while, they soon caught up with Franklin.

"Guys?" Franklin asked them out of surprise. "But you're supposed to be with my aunt."

"Looks like we're not." Sam said as she tied a bandanna onto a branch as she stopped.

"We're helping you rescue Snail." Cherry told Franklin.

"But-" Franklin frowned.

"Come on!" Sam told him as she took his hand.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile..._**

The others soon realized Franklin, Sam, Cherry, and Snail weren't coming and soon called out for them.

"Oh, I hope they're alright." Gloriosa frowned.

"I knew I should've helped Cherry with those rocks..." Atticus sighed. "She probably felt like she couldn't do it, so she gave up."

"That's odd, I thought we'd bump into them by now," Lucy added. "It's not like them to-Bear, stop!"

Bear suddenly stopped in place.

"Under your foot." Lucy told him.

Bear soon looked down to see some an arrow on the ground.

"An arrow?" Junior asked out of confusion.

"I hope this isn't one of Sam's dumb jokes." Bear complained.

Patch sniffed the arrow and looked over to see another one leading into the forest.

"It looks like they're leading a trail for us, and we have no choice but to follow it." Lucy suggested.

"But what about Sam, Franklin, Snail, and Cherry?" Mo asked.

"What does that tell you?" Lucy asked as she saw a pink bandanna tied to the tree in the woods.

"That they'll meet up with us?" Junior guessed.

"I think Lucy means that Sam did this so we could catch up and know where they're going." Mo suggested to her little brother.

"Ohh." Junior smiled.

"Come on then." Gloriosa said.

They then went to keep going.


	6. Chapter 6

After a while, Franklin, Sam, and Cherry kept walking as the sun was setting in the background.

"I don't see Little Crow anywhere," Sam said as she looked up to the mountain with a sigh. "I think we lost her."

"There has to be someway to lure Little Crow out." Cherry said.

Franklin soon walked off and sighed heavily.

"Oh, are you now giving up?" Cherry muttered.

"Why didn't you stay with Aunt Lucy like I asked?" Franklin glared at the girls.

"Because I knew you wouldn't find Snail on your own." Cherry told him.

"Besides, I left your aunt a trail to follow!" Sam added.

"You did? Great!" Franklin complained. "Now she'll try to find _us_ instead of the time capsule."

"Oh..." Sam then frowned. "You're right... Why did I have to be so dumb?"

"Okay, look let's focus on finding Little Crow; once we find Little Crow, that means we'll also find Snail." Cherry told them.

There was then crying heard.

"You guys don't have to cry about it." Cherry told them.

"Um, that's not me." Sam said.

"Me neither." Franklin added.

"Wait... Franklin, how often does Snail cry?" Cherry then asked.

"Well, I remember when he was worried about missing Bear's birthday party because Rabbit, Fox, and Otter passed him without even seeing him, but I did, so I took him and we went to the party together while I found some gifts on the way... But... That doesn't sound like Snail to me." Franklin said after listening closely.

Cherry looked to him before looking around and they soon found that it was actually Little Crow, but she was alone and Snail wasn't there as she was sitting up in a tree alone.

"Little Crow!" Sam said. "Little Crow, are you okay?"

"Uh-uh..." Little Crow pouted as she sat alone in the tree.

"What's wrong?" Cherry asked.

"And where's Snail-I mean, Pretty Shell?" Franklin added. "Is he alright?"

"Uh-uh... Pretty Shell up there..." Little Crow pouted and pointed up into the mountain up above.

"Maybe we should wait for your aunt?" Sam suggested to Franklin.

"No... I have a feeling Snail's in trouble." Franklin said as he took his hat off and put it on a branch before breaking it to climb up the mountain with.

"Let's get climbing." Cherry sighed.

* * *

They soon did that, leaving their bags behind.

Cherry was nervous as she climbed up and did her best not to look down while keeping her eyes up. _'Don't look down, don't look down.'_ The perky goth thought to herself.

Sam nearly fell after grabbing hold.

"Sam!" Cherry gasped.

Little Crow covered her eyes, but soon, Franklin caught Sam before she would plummet down to the ground.

"Whew." Cherry sighed.

Franklin then pulled Sam up so that they could sit down.

"Oh, Atticus, wherever you are, you better appreciate me doing this." Cherry groaned to herself about mountain climbing.

"Well, I said I wanted an adventure," Sam sighed as she put her bandanna back on. "I'm sorry, Franklin; I should've stayed with the others."

"No, I'm glad you're here." Franklin told her.

"You are?" Cherry asked.

"Yeah, I don't think I'd be here right now if it hadn't been for you or Sam." Franklin replied.

Sam smiled sheepishly, but tried to hide it. "I-I really meant what I said back there... About you being brave and cool..." She then said to the younger turtle.

Cherry was happy that Sam was being honest.

"Big Greens and Girl, please hurry, hurry!" Little Crow panicked to them.

"Is there something you didn't tell us about 'Pretty Shell'?" Cherry narrowed her eyes at Little Crow. "Is he really okay?"

"Maybe... If Fluffies not too hungry..." Little Crow said nervously.

"What kind of animal is Fluffy?" Cherry asked.

"Not Fluffy, Fluffies." Little Crow said.

"Fine... What kind of animal are _Fluffies_?" Cherry rolled her eyes.

"Baby birds." Little Crow said.

"Baby birds... In the wild... Which probably _eat_ snails?!" Cherry's eyes widened. "I know what kind of birds Fluffies are now!"

Franklin and Sam looked to her.

"Look out for Falcon!" Little Crow warned her.

Cherry soon climbed up, a bit quicker than she ever had in her life to come up to find a nest.

* * *

There were three fluffy chicks sitting together, trying to look innocent.

"No falcon... But chicks..." Cherry panted before glaring at the chicks. "Where... Is Snail?!"

"The little guy?" One chick replied. "I think he fell."

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed out of suspicion.

"He fell?!" Franklin and Sam panicked.

"What are you sitting on...?" Cherry asked the chicks.

"An egg." The chick said.

There was a muffled voice and the chicks all shook from it.

"A _talking_ egg." The chick then shrugged.

"Liars! Get off Snail this instant!" Cherry told them.

Snail struggled and soon got the chicks off.

"You're coming with me," Cherry said as she reached out for Snail only for the chicks to peck her hand to make her leave. "Ow! Hey! Stop that!"

The chicks didn't seem to want Cherry to take Snail, but she wasn't going to give up on rescuing him. Little Crow then flew in and snatched Snail away from the nest. The chicks soon began to attack Little Crow so that they could take Snail back.

"Be careful!" Snail cried out and was soon thrown and was about to fall off the mountain.

Cherry soon jumped and caught Snail.

"Little Crow can't look." Little Crow covered her eyes with a gasp.

Franklin and Sam looked panicked for Cherry.

Cherry soon grunted as she landed on a tree limb while holding onto Snail after she had jumped. "Well, that could've been worse, I guess..." she grunted from the hard landing as she held Snail in her hands.

"No, you can look." One chick told Little Crow.

Little Crow soon looked to see Cherry had landed on a tree limb with Snail still in her hands. The tree limb soon began to crack.

"How did I not see _that_ coming?" Cherry groaned to herself.

The limb soon fell and Cherry began to fall with it with Snail in her hands until the mother falcon came down and grabbed her with her talons to keep her from falling.

"Um, thanks, ma'am." Cherry smiled nervously.

"Don't struggle now." The falcon told her.

"Uh, yes, ma'am..." Cherry nodded.

* * *

 ** _Back with the others..._**

"Look, there's Franklin's cap!" Lucy told the others, taking her nephew's hat.

"But where's Franklin?" Beaver wondered.

"I'm sure he's fine, along with Sam, Cherry, and Snail." Mo assured them.

Suddenly, a shoe fell off and hit Atticus in the head.

Atticus glared as he caught the shoe, then looked up. "Cherry...?" he then asked, a bit surprised to see his best friend being carried off by the falcon.

"Come on, you guys, I need your help." Lucy told the others.

"We have to save them!" Junior told them, referring to Cherry and Snail.

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Lucy told him.

* * *

Cherry shivered as she looked down.

"It's not far now!" The falcon promised her.

Cherry let out a yelp as she soon fell through the air, out of the talons and she covered her eyes as she fell. Luckily for her though, Lucy and the others made a trampoline where she was falling to cushion her fall, and where Mo was going to be the one where to move the trampoline so they would know where Cherry would land with Snail.

Cherry soon fell onto the trampoline and she looked a bit shook up as she nearly fell and didn't know that she would be saved. "But Mommy, I don't wanna go to school today, all the other kids tease me because I'm smarter than them..." she then said in a shaky, dazed tone of voice. She soon saw that she and Snail were now safe.

"Are you okay?" Atticus asked.

"Sure... Never better..." Cherry muttered as she handed him Snail and flattened her hair and caught her breath.

"Well, it's nice of you to drop in." Mo smiled sheepishly.

"Seriously?" Cherry asked in deadpan.

Mo then dropped her on the ground. "Oops."

Eventually, the falcon came down to bring Franklin and Sam down and Lucy quickly hugged her nephew, glad to see that he was okay.

"Thank goodness you four are alright." Gloriosa smiled.

"Sam, I was so worried," Lucy came to her goddaughter. "What were you four doing up there?"

"Little Crow took Snail to Mrs. Falcon's nest to show her chicks." Sam panted.

"Franklin, Sam, and Cherry rescued me!" Snail added.

"From way up there?" Bear asked as he looked up at the high mountain. "Whoa!"

"I climbed up." Cherry said.

" _You_ climbed?!" The others asked Cherry in shock.

"Shocking, I know." Cherry said.

"Aww... Cherry's growing up~" Atticus smiled, hugging her.

"Get off of me!" Cherry groaned.

"Thank you for your help, Mrs. Falcon." Lucy smiled.

"I'm just glad everyone's okay," Mrs. Falcon smiled back as Little Crow flew down. "And I'm very sorry about earlier."

"Earlier?" Mo asked.

"I thought they were attacking my nest." Mrs. Falcon replied.

"Little Crow sorry too..." Little Crow frowned as she perched on Lucy's shell.

"That's okay, we forgive you." Snail told her.

"Sure, I guess I can too." Cherry shrugged.

"We're looking for Great Bear Falls, Mrs. Falcon," Franklin spoke up. "Have you ever seen a rainbow there?"

"Oh, many times," Mrs. Falcon nodded. "On sunny days of course."

"Can you show us the way there?" Timber asked.

"I'm sure I can." Mrs. Falcon replied.

"Great! Thank you." Gloriosa smiled.

"We better get going, guys, it's getting late." Sam suggested.

"She's right." Timber said.

"But... What about Little Crow?" Little Crow pouted.

Cherry frowned to that and looked to Mrs. Falcon. "Little Crow doesn't have a family... Um... Do you think maybe she could stay with you and your family?" she then suggested.

Little Crow looked over while Mrs. Falcon gave a small smile.

"Well, if Little Crow doesn't mind sharing a nest with three little rascals, I don't see why not." Mrs. Falcon replied.

"I think she won't mind." Cherry actually smiled.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Little Crow beamed and flew around Mrs. Falcon happily.

Mrs. Falcon smiled and hugged Little Crow.

"Family is much nicer than shiny pretties." Little Crow smiled back to the others.

"I'll second that." Lucy agreed as she hugged Franklin.

"No argument here." Timber smiled as he hugged Mo, Gloriosa, and Junior in a group hug.

"Come on, let's go." Junior smiled back.

" _More_ hiking...?" Cherry asked.

"More hiking." Atticus and Mo told her.

"Ugh!" Cherry complained.


	7. Chapter 7

They soon hiked along a rather rocky trail which would be a little more cautious than the last one.

"Ugh..." Beaver complained worse than Cherry. "I can't believe a whole day's gone by!"

"And we still haven't found Granny's time capsule," Franklin frowned. "Maybe we should just camp here, and head home in the morning..." he then looked like he was going to cry. "As if I could even save Granny before she... She..."

Junior frowned as he couldn't bare to see Franklin sad.

"Oh, Franklin." Lucy coaxed, hugging him.

"But we can't just give up now!" Bear told his best friend.

"Not after we've come this far." Sam added.

"Yes, we have to save Granny!" Patch helped.

"I wonder where I've heard that before?" Lucy playfully smirked to Franklin.

"I think a certain turtle said the same thing." Mo added.

"You're right, guys..." Franklin soon smiled again. "Thanks."

"To save Granny!" Lucy proclaimed.

"To save Granny-" Everyone else added until they heard a low voice call out.

"Did you guys hear that too?" Mo asked.

They all looked around, wondering who or what that could be. The voice then yelled out again.

"It's coming from over there!" Franklin pointed out to the others, about to run, but Lucy pulled him back because there was a crater right there he could've fell into, but his hat fell into it.

"Whoa." Mo yelped.

The voice called out from down below again.

"Hello?!" Lucy called out.

"Who's down there?!" Snail added.

"A great big grizzly bear!" The voice called back. "I'm stuck down here! Ya got something to get me out from here?!"

"Uh, did any of us bring a rope?" Mo asked.

Lucy smiled as she took some rope out of her bag, tying one end to a boulder and lowered the rest down. Everyone else then grabbed a part of the rope. Once set, they soon pulled on as the bear grabbed a hold of it as the rope was almost sliding.

"I'm getting rope burns!" Cherry cried out of pain.

Junior winced at that. Snail nearly fell, but soon, they came back with the rope and a very big bear pulled himself up. Cherry looked up at the bear, a bit nervous because he was pretty big.

"Thought I knew these woods like the back of my paw, 'til I fell in this hole two nights ago," The bear dusted himself clean before smiling and tipping Franklin's cap to them since it was on his head. "Folks call me 'Grizz'. Thanks for the rescue."

"No problem, Grizz." Atticus smiled back.

"Glad to help," Lucy smiled as Cherry winced as the bear shook her hand with his paw. "Right, kids?"

"Uh-huh..." Snail replied in shock.

"Now then, it's pretty near dark, and my cave isn't far... You're welcome to stay the night." Grizz smiled.

"We'd love to stay." Timber smiled back.

"Stay in a cave with a bear?!" Cherry yelped.

"Don't worry, he's friendly." Junior assured her.

"He's a _bear_!" Cherry said.

Bear looked at her for that.

"Uh, but you're a cub..." Cherry said sheepishly.

"Follow me, but mind your step." Grizz chuckled to his new friends.

"Yes, sir." Junior said.

* * *

Later on, they came to the cave, and it seemed like a house as the sun was setting.

"You sure have lots of stuff." Sam commented.

"A bit of a pack rat, I guess," Grizz replied as he came to them. "Spent all my time lookin' for old things."

"We can tell." Mo said.

"Hey, that's what my aunt does." Franklin smiled.

"This must be one of the first metal detectors ever made." Lucy said as she examined an old device.

"Yep," Grizz smiled to her. "Old Betsy still works too!"

"Wow." Gloriosa smiled back.

"I love your chandelier, Mr. Grizzly," Beaver smiled. "It's very... Sparkly!"

"I bet Little Crow would like it too!" Snail added.

"I'll bet she would at that." Grizz chuckled, knowingly.

"Well, crows _are_ attracted to shiny objects." Gloriosa smiled.

"You know Little Crow?" Timber asked.

"Wait... That means you're Big Hairy then!" Junior then said.

"That's what she calls me alright!" Grizz chuckled. "I guess 'cuz I'm big and hairy."

"You got that part down right." Mo smiled.

"Have you been to Turtle Lake?" Sam asked.

"Plenty of times," Grizz smiled. "I've found loads of things there over the years."

"Did you happen to find a time capsule?" Timber asked.

"Hmm... Was it blue with yellow stars?" Grizz asked.

"Yes!" Franklin and Lucy replied.

"Rings a bell..." Grizz replied in thought. "First time I took Betsy out for a spin was to Turtle Lake. This was well after the fire, and things were starting to grow in. And you know, I did find a box just like how you described it."

"Can we please have it?" Mo smiled.

"Hmm... It should be around here somewhere..." Grizz replied as he looked around. "I never throw anything away!"

"We have to find it in all of this...?" Cherry asked, uneasily.

"Actually, there's four more rooms like this one," Grizz smiled sheepishly. "Even bigger."

"This is going to take forever!" Cherry complained.

"Then we better get started." Franklin replied.

* * *

Everyone sighed as they began to clean up all around the cave while also looking for the time capsule.

"This could take a while." Junior said.

"Maybe two or three... Days..." Cherry sighed.

Bear and Beaver soon got revenge on Sam by hiding in the wardrobe and yelling out at her once she came to check it out and she fell on her back which was dangerous for a turtle. Mo soon came over to Sam and helped her up.

"Thanks." Sam said to her, a bit breathless, though she had a small amused smile.

Bear and Beaver soon laughed a bit as they scared Sam.

"I guess that makes you guys even now." Mo smiled.

"I guess so..." Sam let out a small sigh.

"Ooh, I'm bushed..." Grizz said, sitting down into his chair in exhaustion.

"Me too, but at least we got back at Sam." Beaver smirked.

"Where could the time capsule be?" Mo asked.

"Maybe it just isn't here." Snail frowned.

Cherry sighed before her eyes widened. "Wait! The sunflower under a rainbow!" she then said, suddenly remembering what Old Turtle said.

"She's right." Franklin agreed.

"I dunno, it's kinda dark in here for a rainbow." Bear said.

"Maybe we need to look for something in here that looks like a rainbow?" Sam suggested.

"Exactly." Mo smiled.

"That chandelier..." Gloriosa said. "It can help make a rainbow, and the sun hasn't set yet!"

" _Everybody_ knows that crystals are like prisms." Beaver commented.

Franklin and Junior soon ran off together to get to the top window which was covered and they pulled the curtains back. The sun's ray from outside then shined through the window, shining onto the crystals, making a rainbow form and glow over top of a treasure chest.

"The time capsule must be in there." Junior smiled.

"But where's the sunflower?" Gloriosa wondered.

Franklin and Junior removed a blanket over the chest and saw that there was a sunflower print on the box.

"Ohh, so that's what she meant." Timber smiled.

Franklin and Junior soon opened the chest and they finally, at last, found the time capsule.

"I can't believe it..." Lucy gasped at the sight. "That's why I could never find it! It was here all along!"

Franklin and Junior looked to each other and soon held it out to her. "You should open it, Aunt Lucy..." The young turtle suggested to his aunt.

"Yeah." Junior smiled.

"He's growing up." Mo sniffled proudly while Gloriosa and Timber smiled at the mature moment Junior shared with Franklin.

Lucy smiled to the boys and soon opened up the time capsule at long last. "The Turtle Talisman..." She smiled once she finally found what they needed to save Granny.

Everyone then came up to Grizz, giving him a group hug.

"Thank you, Grizz." Mo smiled.

Grizz smiled and chuckled to all of them.

* * *

They soon left the cave and decided to go back home once they got what they came for.

"I'll drop you off here." Grizz smiled as they came to the waterfall and brought his canoe out for them to ride on back to Woodland.

"Thanks, Grizz." Cherry said.

"Run along now." Grizz chuckled, patting her on the head.

Cherry winced to that before pouting as her hair was messed up as she went to join the others in the canoe. Grizz waved to them and they waved back as they were now leaving Turtle Lake. Lucy paddled them away before they looked over to where the fire had happened and above them, they could see Mrs. Falcon with Little Crow and her chicks, altogether like one big happy family.

"Let's get to Granny." Mo smiled.

Little Crow waved to to them one last time. Cherry soon had a small smile and waved back to Little Crow as this was goodbye. They soon went off to get to Granny.

* * *

They soon came through the house and the Turtle family were relieved to see Franklin was okay.

"Mom! Dad! They're back!" Harriet beamed.

* * *

They soon came into Granny's room as she seemed to be asleep.

"How's Mom doing?" Lucy asked her brother.

"Holding her own, but barely." Mr. Turtle said softly.

"Luckily, we have something that will save her life." Cherry said.

Lucy took out the time capsule and Franklin brought out the talisman. Mr. Turtle soon smiled and nodded to his son. Franklin soon put the talisman in his grandmother's hand and let her hold it, but nothing seemed to happen for now.

"Please work." Junior begged quietly as he prayed that the talisman would save Granny's life.

"Give it some time, kiddo." Timber advised.

"Oh, I hope it does work, Timber..." Junior pouted to his big brother.

"We'll get some food and let Granny rest." Mr. Turtle suggested.

"I'll stay." Lucy told her brother.

Junior's stomach soon growled.

"That goes double for JJ." Mo smiled weakly, trying to lighten the mood.

They soon went to leave and Franklin soon broke down crying for his Granny's life.

"Don't worry, Franklin; the talisman will save her life." Patch assured him.

"You did that all you could..." Sam said softly to Franklin.

"Yeah, but i-it wasn't enough!" Franklin cried.

Lucy frowned and soon brought out the time capsule and had an idea. "Why don't you tell Granny what's in here?" she then suggested. "Maybe she can hear you."

"Go on, Franklin." Gloriosa smiled.

"Okay..." Franklin said through tears as he soon took the time capsule while Granny laid still, almost as if she was in a coma. "There are all sorts of neat things in here," He then found a paper and opened it up with a smile to show a very old crayon drawing. "Look, Granny, it's the old cabin! I bet you drew this."

Granny didn't answer.

Franklin then gave her the paper as he continued. "And, here's a fishing lure... Probably from your dad."

"What's that, guys?" Snail asked once he saw an envelope.

"An envelope?" Junior said out of confusion as he picked it up.

"But... It's sealed..." Franklin said.

Granny seemed to have a small smile on her face now. This made Franklin and Junior gasp from that.

"I think she wants us to open it." Franklin suggested.

Junior looked to his older siblings for help with the envelope.

"Here, let me get that." Timber smiled as he took the envelope and carefully opened it before taking out a very old photograph.

Granny murmured slightly and turned over, still not waking up yet.

"It's an old photograph..." Franklin smiled before holding it out to his grandmother. "It must be you, Granny, with your parents."

Granny's eyes eventually opened once she saw the picture. "My... Parents..." she muttered wearily.

"She's awake." Junior smiled.

"Hooray!" Sam cheered happily.

"I've so wanted to see this again..." Granny smiled as she took the photograph. "It's the only photo of my family I have left. I lost all the others, when I lost my parents." she then kissed the photograph with a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Mom...?!" Mr. Turtle gasped as they came back into the room.

"Looks like the time capsule was just the thing to save her life." Mo smiled.

"Thank goodness." Mr. Turtle smiled out of relief.

"Her fever's been brought down." Mrs. Turtle smiled back to him.

"What is all the fuss about?" Granny smiled to the others.

"We were worried about you." Cherry told her.

"I think that talisman worked after all, Franklin." Mr. Turtle smiled to his son.

"Yeah... Maybe, but maybe what made Granny really better was something stronger than magic..." Franklin smiled back before looking at the old photograph.


	8. Chapter 8

Everyone soon went home, but when the next day came, they decided to throw a party to celebrate Granny being back to normal.

"Pinkie Pie would be over the moon excited about this party." Mo chuckled.

"I know she would." Patch agreed as they got ready.

Something soon started to glow and the door opened up to show Drell in his own animal form as he came over.

"What're _you_ doing here?" Cherry asked him.

"Hi to you too." Drell muttered.

"Drell, what are you doing here?" Atticus asked him

"To bring you all home when this is over, and... Well..." Drell replied before looking to Cherry. "Um... Well, in the Netherworld, there's a special place I'd like you to visit."

"You're just gonna throw me into another adventure at the last minute." Cherry said, feeling like she already knew what was coming.

"Just listen to me, okay?" Drell said to her.

Cherry turned away from him.

"Cherry, I'm trying to help you, you're not making this easy, especially since your mother's making me be nice to you..." Drell said through his teeth, a bit anxiously.

"Whatever it is, just keep it to yourself for once!" Cherry glared with tears in her eyes. "I didn't even wanna come here, just to be reminded about Aunt Dorothy! It's been five years!"

"Uh, Cherry..." Drell said, a bit softly and uneasily, trying to hold in his anger from her interruptions.

Cherry frowned as she looked quite miserable.

"Will you LISTEN TO ME?!" Drell glared and made her be quiet.

Cherry soon looked at him.

"If you come with me, I'll show you something really nice, just SHUT UP!" Drell demanded until he realized what he said. "Uh, I mean... Please quiet down, my dear child..."

Cherry soon blinked as she soon stayed quiet.

"Now, as I was saying before I was crudely interrupted, I'm sorry, but no one can bring your Aunt Dorothy fully back..." Drell said to her.

Cherry looked to that and looked down.

"However," Drell soon continued. "Like we do with Sabrina's grandmother on her mother's side... You will be allowed to, for at least once a week, to go into a special room where Dorothy will be resurrected for one hour and one hour only during a visit, so you can talk to her until the time expires and she goes back into the afterlife to continue resting in peace."

This caused Cherry to smile as she would be able to see her aunt again.

"Oh, my God!" Drell gasped, trying to lighten the mood. "Cherry is actually smiling at me!"

Cherry gave him a look of deadpan. "There's the Drell I know and am indifferent to..." she then muttered.

"And there's the Cherry we know and love." Drell smirked.

"So, about that adventure?" Cherry asked.

"Uh... I figure you guys could use a vacation..." Drell shrugged. "We still have some time before the new school year, but I'd like to see you once you guys say goodbye to Franklin and friends."

"Okay." Mo said.

* * *

They soon went to go and join Granny's party. Bear soon came with his mother as they were also invited. Franklin and Bear smiled to each other and shared a best friend hug once they came up to each other. Junior smiled as he was happy to see that. Sam smiled as she gave a friendly wave. The others smiled back to her and waved back to her.

"Ice cream sundaes, everyone!" Mrs. Turtle announced.

"Wahoo! Sundaes!" Junior cheered.

"Sam helped make the chocolate sauce." Lucy smiled back.

"Chocolate Sauce?!" Bear beamed. "Oh, boy!"

"Isn't it great how well Granny is doing, Dr. Bear?" Mrs. Turtle smiled to her son's best friend's mother.

"It's a miracle alright." Dr. Bear smiled back.

"It sure is." Gloriosa smiled.

"I remember telling the children about Turtle Lake," Granny smiled back. "I've kept myself from thinking about that terrible night for so long. But when I saw that old map again, it all came back after you left. I thought about my parents. How much I've missed them."

"Oh, Mom..." Lucy frowned softly.

"We'll look after you!" Mr. Turtle smiled to his mother.

Mo was happy that everything worked out for everyone.

"And I'll help," Lucy smiled. "I decided to stay here for a while. In Woodland."

"That's wonderful, dear," Granny smiled back before frowning in thought. "But what about Egypt?"

"That old Tomb's waited a bit to be found, it can wait a little longer," Lucy replied before standing up to hug Harriet. "As a wise little crow once said 'Family is much nicer than shiny pretties'!"

"That's right." Gloriosa smiled.

"The last week made me realize how much you all mean to me," Lucy smiled to her family as she carried Harriet in her arms. "And how much I've missed."

Harriet then gave her aunt a kiss.

"Slow down, Bear!" Dr. Bear chuckled as her son ate his sundae rather quickly. "You don't wanna get an ice cream headache!"

"Your mother's right." Timber smiled.

Bear's eyes widened as he soon stopped and was paying for it, but his eyes watered.

"Ice cream headaches." Franklin chuckled to his best friend.

"More like hot peppers in the chocolate sauce." Sam whispered with a smirk.

"Sam..." Junior sighed.

Granny soon tapped her spoon.

"Why is she doing that?" Junior asked.

"She wants to tell us all something." Timber told him.

"Ohh..." Junior then said.

"I have Franklin and his friends to thank," Granny smiled. "They're my heroes."

 _'Looks like Franklin got to be a hero after all.'_ Junior thought to himself.

"Franklin's the real hero," Sam smiled as she touched his shoulder. "He was amazing!"

They soon heard the phonograph music playing again and Harriet began to dance on the front porch.

"Looks like it's time to dance." Cherry said.

"I sure wish we could dance, Granny." Franklin smiled to his grandmother.

"Just you watch, Franklin," Granny smiled back. "I'll be up and at it, cutting a rug again in no time."

* * *

After the party, it was soon time for the group to go. It was quite surprising for everyone when Sam gave Franklin a kiss on the cheek since she was going back home tomorrow. Everyone was soon back home, Elizabeth and Jim were still gone, but they called earlier to say that they would be home in time for dinner, but Cherry began to leave.

"Cherry, don't you wanna stay for dinner?" Mo asked.

"Yeah, sure, there's just something I have to do first." Cherry said.

"Oh, okay." Mo said.

"Want any company?" Patch asked.

"That's okay..." Cherry said as she walked off to be alone.

* * *

The others went back inside as Cherry went to make a stop over to the cemetery. She just hoped there wouldn't be any tricks from a certain warlock. Cherry soon took out some flowers and rested them on Dorothy's grave once she stood there, giving a brief moment of silence. She then did something she was usually against due to her own beliefs, though Dorothy was a very religious woman, and soon put her hands together to give a silent prayer and a tear seemed to roll down her cheek as she stood there alone in the cemetery. A magical glow soon happened. Cherry opened one eye and yelped, falling backwards onto the ground.

"Don't say I don't do you any favors." Drell said as he floated on a cloud.

"How are you even doing that?" Cherry glanced at him for the cloud thing. "You're not a pegasus!"

"Magic." Drell smirked.

Cherry just rolled her eyes to that and suddenly, they were in a hallway with various doors.

"Someone wants to see you..." Drell said before opening the door for her.

Cherry came inside and looked around and it looked just like her Aunt Dorothy's living room like whenever she would come to visit, she soon spotted the couch and jumped onto it, lying down as she always did whenever she would come to the house, adjusting the pillows the way she liked them. She soon saw the person she had not seen ever since the said person's death.

"Well, hi there!" The woman greeted warmly, sounding like her old self. "How are you?"

"Good..." Cherry said with tears in her eyes.

"Good, good." Aunt Dorothy replied.

Drell soon walked by and shut the door, putting a timer on it, though looked around and tried to add more minutes just for Cherry's sake.

"I miss you so much." Cherry told her aunt as she hugged her.

"Aw, baby, I've missed you too..." Dorothy smiled, hugging her back. "Why don't you tell me what you've been up to?"

Cherry soon grew active and told Dorothy everything as they were alone together for the next sixty minutes or so. Dorothy was of course very happy to hear every word that her surrogate granddaughter had to say.

* * *

"Hmm... I'm a little hungry..." Drell said as he held his stomach. "I wonder if Cherry would be mad if I stayed for dinner?" He was about to enter the room to have a bite to eat.


	9. Chapter 9

Mo decided to make some pizza for dinner as it was something they could all agree on, though she had several toppings out for everyone since she had preferences as a vegetarian, but a lot of the others liked to eat meat, and where she soon saw a familiar warlock trying to steal one of the pizzas.

"Ooh, this one has my name on it..." Drell smirked.

"FREEZE!" Mo told him, catching him. "Don't even think about it, buster!"

"What? I can't have pizza?" Drell defended, looking a little grumpy.

"Yes, you can, but you'll have to wait." Mo told him.

"Touch." Drell said, touching the pizza like an immature child.

"Atticus, your assistance, now!" Mo called out.

"Touch..." Drell continued.

"What's wrong?" Atticus asked as he distracted Junior, showing him a video game.

"Touch...?" Drell asked in the background.

"Never mind, I'll tie him up." Atticus said as he took Drell out of the kitchen.

"What did I even do wrong?!" Drell complained.

"Don't you have to go see Hilda or something?" Atticus rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you're right." Drell said.

"Why don't you go and see her or do something with The Council?" Atticus asked.

"Well, the Council is taking a vote for a new member to join, so we're all gonna meet tomorrow and decide whether to agree or disagree-" Drell replied.

"Just go!" Atticus told him before smiling sheepishly. "Please?"

"Alright." Drell said.

'Thank you..." Mo said as she continued to cook.

"You kids are so impatient these days..." Drell muttered to himself. "When I was your age, I got in trouble for sinking Atlantis!"

"We know, you've told us!" Atticus, Mo, and Patch said.

"Okay, bye then..." Drell said before leaving.

"He's getting annoying..." Patch grumbled.

"I know." Atticus groaned.

"So, uh, what kind of pizza did you make, Mo?" Patch asked.

"I'm actually making like a buffet thing," Mo began to explain with a smile. "So, there's all kinds of toppings so people can put whatever they want on their pizza and have their own special kind."

"Ooh." Patch smiled back.

"I thought it'd be a nice little treat..." Mo smiled. "Should be ready once Cherry gets back."

"I hope she's okay." Atticus said softly.

* * *

Cherry and Dorothy laughed together as they shared a funny story on the couch together from one of her many adventures.

"You sure have had many adventures, Cher Bear." Dorothy smiled.

"I really have..." Cherry replied. "It feels good to share them with you..."

"Oh, yes..." Dorothy smiled. "I missed our little talks we would have in the afternoons before you would go home. Especially when I' make you a special dinner..."

"Ooh..." Cherry suddenly felt hungry. "Creamy mashed potatoes... Boiled cabbage... Smoked honey chicken..."

They soon heard a timer ticking down.

"What's that noise?" Cherry asked.

"I think it's time for you to go..." Dorothy replied.

Cherry looked confused until she remembered what that meant. "Oh... Right... Um... Do you think we could do this again sometime?"

"You could always try a séance." Dorothy told her.

"I guess..." Cherry shrugged.

Dorothy hugged her one last time and walked off in the back.

"I'm finally passing Algebra!" Cherry called out.

"I know, Baby, I know~" Dorothy smiled.

"Okay... Bye, Aunt Dorothy, bye..." Cherry said softly as she had to leave now.

* * *

Cherry was shown to be in a bed and seemed to have tears in her eyes which leaked down into the pillow.

"Cherry? Wake up..." Timber softly told the girl, shaking her gently. "Pizza's ready."

Cherry looked up at him and soon sat up, rubbing her eyes and putting her glasses on.

"Hi, there..." Timber said softly.

"Did somebody say pizza?" Cherry asked.

"Come on, let's get you downstairs." Timber smiled.

* * *

Junior continued to play the Sonic the Hedgehog video game, but then paused it once they were all having pizza. They could each pick their own toppings with various choices. Cherry wiped her eyes as she still felt emotional, but she soon took the chicken, bacon, and shrimp, and moved away from Mo so she wouldn't see her eating meat. Once everyone had their own toppings on their pizza, they were ready to eat.

"Uh, sorry about that meat thing..." Cherry said.

"It's okay..." Mo replied softly.

Junior saw Scamp looking at him and was about to give some of his pizza to the dog.

"Junior, you know that we can't feed our food to any of the dogs." Gloriosa told him.

Scamp pouted and whimpered.

"Sorry, Scamp..." Junior frowned.

"I understand." Scamp sighed.

Junior smiled and pet him. "I love you though."

"I love you too, kid." Scamp smiled back, enjoying the petting very much.

Everyone soon enjoyed their pizzas.

* * *

"Extra ham for my pizza!" Jim's voice called out.

"Mom! Dad! You're back!" Mo beamed to the adults.

"Something sure smells good." Elizabeth smiled.

"I made pizza." Mo smiled back.

"So you did..." Elizabeth smiled. "What kind?"

"What kind would you like?" Gloriosa replied with a small smile back.

"Well, I do like ham..." Jim smiled softly.

"Okay, and as for you, Mom?" Mo then asked.

"Hmm... I think I'd like some pineapple..." Elizabeth smiled.

"Will do." Mo smiled back.

"Pineapple on pizza! Nooo!" Cherry cried out in the background.

"That was random." Patch said.

"Make it stop!" Cherry cried out.

Some of the others laughed, finding her to be overreacting. Eventually, everyone finished their dinner and Junior was being brought upstairs to go to bed, though he fell asleep at the table after eating so much pizza, and a big adventure to come from it before.


	10. Chapter 10

**November 11, 1933 - March 11, 2013**

 **This story is dedicated to grandmothers everywhere like the original movie was intended to be.**

 **I never really knew my own grandparents, and then I met Dorothy, who filled that void for me for six years.**

 **I never knew there could be someone so sweet and encouraging until I met a woman like this.**

 **I love her and miss her each and every day.**

 **With loving memory to my Aunt Dorothy, who had been my granny for six years.**

 **The End**


End file.
